“She thought she had.  She never knew that Emilia took the name of Selina Loach.  You had better ask Mrs. Octagon for details on that subject.  Don’t interrupt.  Well, when Mrs. Saul lost Emilia, she took more and more to coining.  So did her son, Bathsheba’s father.  They were caught and put in prison.  I was taken in hand by a benevolent gentleman who brought me up and gave me the profession of a lawyer.  I chose that because I thought it might be handy.  Then Mrs. Saul came out of prison and her son also.  Both died.  Maraquito tried various professions and finally went in for dancing.  She hurt her foot, and that attempt to gain a living failed.  I was in practice then and we started the gambling-house together.  But by this time I had found Emilia living here as Selina Loach.  Mrs. Octagon can tell you how we met.  Emilia persuaded me and Maraquito to go in for the coining.  She already had Clancy interested.  He was a good man at getting the proper ring of the coins.  Well, we managed to make a tunnel to the cellars of the unfinished house, and then Emilia built the extra wing to the villa.  The secret entrances were made by—­”

“By Maxwell.  I know that.  Go on.”

“Well, we started the concern.  I haven’t time to tell you in detail how lucky we were.  We counterfeited foreign coins also.  We all made plenty of money.  Emilia suggested Maraquito feigning to be an invalid, so as to make things safe.  False coins were passed at the gambling-house.  Maraquito came here as Mrs. Herne and had a house—­or rather lodgings—­at Hampstead.  We came here three times a week, and while supposed to be playing whist, we were at the factory.  Emilia kept guard.  Sometimes we went out by the door of this house and at times by another way—­”

“I know.  Up the tree-trunk.”

“Ah, you have found that out,” said Hale in a weak voice; “what a place it is,” he murmured regretfully, “no one will ever get such another.  I can’t understand how you came to find us out.”

“Tell me what happened on that night?” asked Jennings, seeing that the man was growing weaker, and fearful lest he should die without telling the secret of the death.

“On that night,” said the dying scamp, rousing himself; “well, Maraquito quarrelled with Clancy, and went with me to the factory.”

“Then you were not out of the house?”

“No.  We went by the underground passage to work.  Clancy went away, as he had business elsewhere.  The moment he had gone I came up from the passage.  Emilia was seated with the cards on her lap.  She came with me to the factory, and thinking Clancy might come back, she went out by the tree-trunk way.”

“What, that old lady?”

“She wasn’t so very old, and as active as a cat.  Besides, she did not want Clancy to come down, as she was afraid there might be a fight between him and Maraquito.  They had quarrelled about the division of some money, and Maraquito can use a knife on occasions.”