"Torturing!" Theodore shrieked.
"Yes. Hanging's too good for you, beast that you are."
"Oh, Harry, don't--don't let Akira get hold of me!" screamed Dane, all his nerve broken down. "The law won't let him; the law won't let him!"
"He won't trouble about the law. He will send sailors ashore this very night and have you taken on board his yacht. When you are on the high seas he'll deal with you."
"No! no!" Theodore tried to kiss the man's foot and rolled over to do so.
Harry spurned him. "You worse than devil, try and be a man. You murdered a poor, weak woman and now you're frightened of your skin. Beast!"
Outside the wind had risen to wild fury. The whole house was shaken by the gusts which came howling from the bay. Harry strode to the window and looked out. He saw by the swaying of the festival lights that The Miko was dragging at her moorings. There was no time to be lost, if he wanted to carry out his promise to the Count. Colpster was lying limply on the sofa, while Theodore moaned and groaned on the floor. On the small table beside the sofa gleamed the emerald which had brought about all the trouble.
"Let me be arrested and hanged. I don't want to be tortured," wailed the man on the floor.
"Did you kill my mother?"
"Give me some wine and I'll tell you."