"She was. We married soon after we left San Remo. She was hard up or she would not have married me."
"And you went to the States?"
"We did. There I took the name of Jersey, and tried a variety of things, none of which came to any good. Then I left Eliza."
"Why did you do that?"
"Because she was a devil," said Bawdsey, his face lighting up. "I tried all the means in my power to make her happy, but she was always quarreling and nagging, and lamenting that she had not married that Vane--your father, Mr. Brendon."
"Did she tell you about the murder?"
"It wasn't a murder," protested Bawdsey. "No, she did not tell me, but from a hint or two she dropped about getting money from Mr. Ireland I guessed that he had something to do with it. I came across to England and I saw him. He told me the whole story."
"Did you get money from him?"
"I did not. I am an honest man, although you do not seem to think so. I left all that blackmailing to my wife. She came over to get money out of Ireland. He simply said that he would tell the whole truth and would call the woman Velez as a witness about the dagger."
"But that woman is dead?"