"What was she doing wandering about my house at that hour?" demanded Madame Coralie, fiercely.
"You shall learn soon. Meanwhile, we must wait for the arrival of Colonel Ilse," and she looked directly at Madame Coralie to see what effect the name had on her.
Whatever recollections the name brought to Madame Coralie, she did not reveal that they startled her, but remained silent behind the thick folds of the veil which masked her face. Audrey would have spoken, if only to ask why Perry Toat was badgering her aunt, when the door opened and Colonel Ilse made his appearance. He looked spic and span, and entirely military in his upright carriage.
"I am glad to see you, Colonel Ilse," said Perry Toat. And Audrey, whose hand was on the arm of her aunt, felt the woman quiver, although she did not open her mouth.
The Colonel seemed rather perturbed, and addressed himself to Miss Toat after a hurried glance at Audrey.
"You wrote saying you had found the nurse who stole my daughter Elsie," he said in faltering tones.
"Yes," said Perry Toat, deliberately pointing to Madame Coralie, "there she is, Colonel."
"It is a lie!" breathed Madame Coralie, under her breath.
"It is not a lie," said the detective, coldly, "no more than the fact that your husband killed Lady Branwin is a lie."
Eddy jumped to his feet with a shrill, hysterical laugh. "I did not kill Lady Branwin," he said excitedly. "I can prove that I did not."