"She took that name, she told me to-night, when she went on the stage in New York. She was really Thea Colville."
Inspector Fay started.
"Thea Colville? The Chicago adventuress?"
"I believe some people called her that," Tranter returned shortly.
"The woman who ruined Michael Cranbourne, son of Joshua Cranbourne, the Nitrate King?"
"She had finished with Cranbourne before I knew her," Tranter replied. "He was a scoundrel. Whatever happened, she certainly could not be blamed."
The inspector was making rapid notes.
"She was not so wild as she was painted," Tranter continued. "Women with such beauty as hers have a thousand temptations. The sins of a beautiful woman are always many degrees blacker than the sins of a plain one. We became very intimate—and I am afraid I allowed her to expect more from me than I actually intended. I was called back to England unexpectedly, and heard nothing more of her until Mr. Copplestone brought her into this room to-night."
He stopped. Emotion had crept into his voice.
"During the most part of your conversation with her, were you walking about, or standing still?"