"You will soon know," retorted Dombrain, savagely. "Jezebel Manners, Pethram, Belswin, or whatever name you like to call yourself, I warned you the last time we met what I would do if you played me false. You have done so, to my ruin, my shame, my disgrace, and I have come to drag you down to where you have hurled me. This is the woman, officers."
One of the detectives advanced and touched Mrs. Belswin on the shoulder.
"In the Queen's name, I arrest you----"
"Arrest her?" interrupted Kaituna, her face flaming with indignation; "but for what--for what?"
"For the murder of Rupert Pethram."
Kaituna gave a shriek of horror, and seized Maxwell by the arm, while he, scarcely less thunderstruck, stared at the detective with a look of amazement on his face.
"It is false! it is false!" shrieked Mrs. Belswin, throwing herself on her knees before Kaituna, "I swear to you it is false. I did not kill your father."
"You did," said Dombrain, in a deep voice, "I saw you do it!"
"Liar!"
Mrs. Belswin sprang to her feet and made a bound forward, with a fierce light flashing in her eyes, and it would have been a bad thing for Mr. Dombrain had she succeeded in reaching him. The detective, however, was on the watch, and throwing himself on the wretched woman, had the handcuffs on her wrists in a moment.