"What did happen, Paul?" asked Sylvia, anxiously.
"Nothing," he replied with an assumption of carelessness, for he did not want to tell the girl about the fate of Lady Rachel Sandal, "but we may find in your father's past life what led to his murder."
"Do you think Mrs. Krill had anything to do with it?"
"My own, you asked that question before. No, I don't. Still, one never knows. I should think Mrs. Krill is a dangerous woman, although I fancy, too clever to risk being hanged. However, Hurd can find out if she was in town on the night your father was killed."
"That was on the sixth of July," said Sylvia.
"Yes. And he was murdered at twelve."
"After twelve," said Sylvia. "I heard the policeman on his beat at a quarter-past, and then I came down. Poor father was strangled before our very eyes," she said, shuddering.
"Hush, dear. Don't speak of it," said Paul, rising. "Let us talk of more interesting subjects."
"Paul, I can think of nothing till I learn who killed my poor father, and why he was killed so cruelly."