"Ah," Mrs. Jasher sat down and locked her hands together, "you don't believe me. I daresay you don't understand, for life, real life, is a sealed book to you. It is useless for me to appeal to your sympathy, for you are so very ignorant. Let us stick to facts. What do you wish to know?""Who killed Sidney Bolton: who has the emeralds.""I can't tell you. Listen! With my past life you have nothing to do. I will commence from the time I came dawn here. I had just lost my husband, and I managed to scrape together a few hundred pounds - oh, quite in a respectable way, I assure you,"she added scoffingly, on seeing her listener wince. "I came here to try and live quietly, and, if possible, to secure a rich husband. I knew that the Fort was here and thought that I might marry an officer. However, the Professor's position attracted me, and I decided to marry him. I am engaged, and but for your cleverness in tracing that letter I should be Mrs. Braddock within a very short time. I have exhausted all my money. I am deeply, in debt. I cannot hold out longer.""But the money you inherited - "
"That is all bluff also. I never had a brother. I inherit no money. I know nothing of Pekin, save that a friend of mine sends that scent to me as a yearly Christmas present. I am an adventuress, but perhaps not so bad as you think me. Lucy and Donna Inez have heard no wickedness from my lips. I have always been a good woman in one sense - a moral woman, that is - and Idid wish to marry the Professor and live a happy life. Seeing that I was at the end of my resources, and that Professor Braddock expected a legacy with me before marriage, I looked round to, see how I could get the money. I heard that you were accused by Captain Hervey, and so last night I wrote that letter and posted it in London, thinking that you would yield to save yourself from arrest."Random laughed cynically.
"You must have thought me weak," die muttered.
"I did," said Mrs. Jasher frankly. "To tell you the truth, Ithought that you were a fool. But by tracing that letter and withstanding my demand, you have proved yourself to be more clever than I took you to be. Well, that is all. I know nothing of the murder. My letter is sheer bluff to extort from you five thousand pounds. Had you paid I should have passed it off to the Professor as the money left to me by my brother. But now - ""Now," said Random, rising to go, "I shall tell what you have told me to the Professor, and - ""And hand me over to the police," said Mrs. Jasher, shrugging her plump shoulders, "Well, I expected that. Yet I fancied for old times' sake that you might have been more lenient.""We were never anything but acquaintances, Mrs. Jasher," said Random coldly, "so I fail to see why you should expect mercy after the way in which you have behaved. You expect to blackmail me, and yet go free. I must punish you somehow, so I shall tell Professor Braddock, as you certainly cannot marry him. But Ishall not hand you over to the police."
"You won't?" Mrs. Jasher stared, scarcely able to believe her ears.
"No. Give me a day to think over matters, and I shall arrange what to do with you. I think there is some good in you, Mrs.
Jasher, and so I shall see if I can't assist you. In the meantime I shall have your cottage watched, so that you may not run away.""In that case, you may as well hand me over to the police," she said bitterly.
"Not at all," rejoined Random coolly. "I can trust my servant, Who is stupid but honest and is devoted to me. I'll see that everything is kept quiet. But if you attempt to run away I shall have you arrested for blackmail. You understand?""Yes. You are treating me very well," she gasped. "When shall Isee you?"
"To-morrow evening. I must talk the matter over with Braddock.
To-morrow I shall arrange what to do, and probably I shall give you a chance of leading a new life in some other part of the world. What do you say?""I accept. Indeed, there is nothing else left for me to do.""That is an ungrateful speech," said Random severely.
"I daresay. However, we can talk of gratitude tomorrow.
Meanwhile, please leave me."
Sir Frank went to the door and there paused.
"Remember," he said distinctly, "that your cottage is being watched. Try to escape and I shall have you arrested."Mrs. Jasher groaned and buried her face in the sofa cushion.
