"Yes; she had a quantity of jewelry. She put all the money she could get from her husband into clothes and diamonds--a most extravagant woman, Alan. Well, she's gone, that's certain, jewels and all. She left no address, and said no word about returning. What do you think of it?"
"Upon my word, sir, I don't know what to think. The whole place has gone mad, it seems to me; the entire village is topsy-turvy. Marlow's body stolen, Warrender murdered, and his body placed in poor Marlow's coffin; and now here is Mrs. Warrender cleared out significantly with her jewels; and the Quiet Gentleman----"
"Brown, the dumb man? What about him? I know he, too, has vanished; but what else?"
"I'm going to tell you, sir. The key of the vault----"
"Not your key, Alan?"
"Yes, my key, Mr. Phelps; the Quiet Gentleman has it!"
"God bless me--that is, God forgive me, Alan, are you mad too?"
"No, sir, not yet; though I admit I'm fairly on the way, with all this. Tell me, do you know who this so-called Quiet Gentleman really is?"
"No, Alan, I don't. I spoke to him, but found he was dumb. Now he too is gone."
"Yes, with Marlow's body on his hands, and Warrender's death on his soul!"