"And all the time he loved me only because he thought that I should have a fortune in gold and diamonds."
"You have stated the case exactly," said Nick. "When he thought you would inherit all those jewels, he made love to you. Heaven knows that your own attractions should have been enough, but they were not for him.
"When the jewels went elsewhere, he was probably on the point of giving you up. I judge that from certain letters of yours in that telegraph cipher which I found in his room.
"Then he wormed his plan for making you rich. He managed the robberies at the house with the aid of John Gilder and one or two of that spiritualistic gang whom he smuggled into the house.
"He did everything to increase his uncle's delusion. It was he who put Colonel Richmond again in the hands of that medium."
"I supposed that that affair was all over," said Mrs. Stevens; "both the colonel and I had disapproved of it."
"Annie O'Neil," said Nick, turning to the servant, "a full confession from you is what we now require. It may save you from prison.
"We know that you managed the affair from this end. It was you who put the jewels where they were found, after they had been given you by Horace. It was you—catch her!"
This last exclamation was addressed to Patsy. The girl was wavering as if she would fall.
Before Patsy could reach her she sank sobbing to the floor. She proceeded to pour out an incoherent confession, in which little was clear but the name of Horace Richmond, and the fact that the girl "loved him still."