Maria hesitated and shook her head; then, evidently making up her mind, she turned to face Torry. "I have to ask your pardon," said she in low tones. "I doubted if the woman who met my uncle was Julia. Now I know that it was her. I gave her that mantle. Ah, God! to think she should be so evil!"
"We do not know that," replied Torry, accepting the explanation as sufficient. "She may have been more sinned against than sinning. In any case, she has paid for all her follies with her life."
"Poor wretch! And who killed her?"
"I don't know; but I am sure her lover--the man she went away to marry--killed Mr. Grent. If I could only learn that fellow's personal appearance! He must have done his courting here, as Julia was in your service for so long. You never saw him, Miss?"
"No; but the servants might have done so."
"An excellent idea!" cried Torry, rubbing his hands. "Mr. Darrel, will you be so kind as to remain here? Miss Sandoval, please take me to see your butler; he, if anyone, will know the truth. Failing him, I'll try the housekeeper."
"Very well, sir," said Donna Maria, rising and walking towards the door. "I hope you'll be able to discover the truth."
"You wish to punish the assassin of your uncle?" said Darrel, more for the sake of asking a last question than because he needed a reply.
"Punish him!" cried the girl, drawing herself up to her stately height. "I would give ten years of my life to see a rope round his cowardly neck!"
After which passionate speech she passed out of the room.