"Nonsense," said Mrs. Bolstreath, briskly, "two's company and three's none."
"Well," remarked Halliday, leisurely, "we can settle the matter when we are married, Lillian. Remember, before your uncle will consent, I shall have to discover who murdered your father."
"You have discovered who murdered him. It was the false Mrs. Brown, who is Mrs. Jarsell, who is Queen Beelzebub."
"So I believe, but I have to prove my case," said Dan, dryly, "and, moreover, I won't find it easy to place the woman in the dock when she has this accursed society at the back of her."
"You don't think there is danger?" asked Lillian, hastily. "No, no, no! Things are safer than ever, my dear. I go to town this evening, and can leave you here with the certainty that all is well."
"You go to town this evening?" said Mrs. Bolstreath, anxiously, "isn't that a very sudden resolution?"
"Oh, I think not," answered Dan, in an easy way. "I came down here only to settle you and Lillian. By the way, Sir John----"
"I wired our address, and he wrote me," interrupted Mrs. Bolstreath, "he is quite pleased that we are away. I rather think," the lady added, thoughtfully, "that Sir John is not ill-pleased we are away. At his age the constant presence of two women in his house is rather disconcerting. Finding we had left town he returned there to enjoy his own house to himself."
"In that case," said Dan, cheerfully, "he will be glad to see Lillian married."
"But to Lord Curberry, not to you."