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"Certainly You were about to do so when--when the accident happened"

"Yes But--but, oh!--how can I tell hiuilty?" cried the woh, placing his hand tenderly upon her shoulder "Calm yourself You did not kill my father Of that I am quite convinced Do not distress yourself, but tellof the affair, I believe," she said slowly "But he never planned it The whole plot was concocted by Benton" Then, turning to Hugh, Madeh-pitched and nervous: "Benton, the blackguard, was your father's friend at Woodthorpe With a man named Howell, known also as Shaw, he prepared a hich your father signed unconsciously, and which provided that in the event of his death you should be cut off from almost every benefit if you did not hter"

"But who is Louise actually?" asked Hugh interrupting

"The real daughter of Benton, who hasher Of course Louise is unaware of that fact," Yvonne replied

Hugh was much surprised at this But he no the reason why Mrs Bond was so solicitous of the poor girl's welfare

"Now I happened to be in London, and on one of your father's visits to town, Benton, his friend, introduced us Naturally I had no knowledge of the plot which Benton and Howell had forentleman, I invited him to the furnished flat I had taken at Queen's Gate I went to the theatre with hi us, and then your father returned to the country One day, about two months later Howell happened to be in London, and presumably they decided that the plot was ripe for execution, for they asked est that he should co charity ball at the Albert Hall In due course I received a wire from Mr Henfrey, who ca also present, while Howell's s outside to take us to the ball"

Then she paused and drew a long breath, as though the recollection of that night horrified her--as indeed it did

"After supper I rose and left the room to speak to my servant for a moment, when, just as I re-entered, I saell, as standing behind Mr Henfrey's chair, suddenly bend, place his left arht hand press on the nape of the neck just above his collar 'Here!' your father cried out, thinking it was a joke, 'what's the game?' But the last as scarcely audible, for he collapsed across the table I stood there aghast Howell, suddenly noticing hly to clear out, as I was not wanted I demanded to knohat had happened, but I was told that it did not concern ed, for he was still alive and apparently dazed I afterwards heard, however, that Howell had pressed the needle of a hypoder a newly discovered and untraceable poison which he had obtained in secret from a certain ches"