"No. Eliza murdered him. She went up in an aeroplane along with Vincent, since she is too silly to handle one herself. To kill Moon--that was my work because he learned too much and refused to join me--I went to town by train in the character of the false Mrs. Brown. Penn was killed by Curberry, who had to obey me or suffer himself. Oh, I assure you I am quite autocratic, Mr. Halliday," finished the woman merrily. "I quite believe that," said Halliday drily, "but did all this villainy give you pleasure?"
"Oh, yes," Miss Armour's nostrils again dilated, and her eyes again flashed triumphantly, "think of the power I held until you interfered. I pretended for greater safety to be paralyzed, and no one ever connected a poor invalid lady with Queen Beelzebub."
"I did not, I assure you. I believed Queen Beelzebub to be Mrs. Jarsell."
"Eliza," Miss Armour scoffed, "why, she's a poor weak fool, and only did what I ordered her to do because I implicated her along with myself in the murder of her husband. However, she has been useful, as, without her money, I could not have started the business. Power!" she repeated, "yes, I have a great power. High or low, rich or poor, there was no one I could not remove if I chose. My subjects worked for me willingly, or unwillingly."
"You are a kind of 'Old Woman of the Mountain,' like the gentleman of that name who invented the Assassins--that gang about the time of the Crusades."
"Quite so, although it is not polite of you to call me an old woman. By the way, I got Curberry his title by getting rid of his uncle and cousin."
"Yes. So he told me," said Dan, marvelling that the woman could speak so calmly about her wickedness. "Oh, you are shocked," she laughed gaily, "what a fool you are. I could tell you much concerning many murders and disappearances which the police knew nothing about. For some years I have ruled like a despot, and--and--well," she yawned, "it's all over. Oh, what a pity."
"I think not. People will sleep quieter when they know Queen Beelzebub and her demons are harmless."
"Harmless," she echoed the word with a laugh, and touched a silver bell that stood at her elbow, "we shall all be harmless enough to-morrow, if indeed you speak truly, and your friend Laurance is coming up here with the police."
"He is, I assure you," said Dan, wondering why she rang the bell, "but who are the members of your gang?"