Herries nodded. This was exactly the explanation which he had given Elspeth, and he was delighted to see how accurate his forecast had been. But there was another point which he wished to be cleared up.
"At what time did Captain Kyles return to the launch?"
"I must leave Captain Kyles to tell you his own story, Mr. Herries. All I wish to do at present, is to show Miss Tedder that I am not afraid to confess my movements on that night. It is lucky for her if she can do the same."
"I was with Mrs. Armour," said Maud quickly, yet with a passing gleam of terror.
"You were in this very house," said Herries sternly, "Mrs. Armour told me so."
"Then she was with me. She would not allow me to go alone."
"I'll ask her about that, myself," said Herries sitting down, "in the meanwhile you must confess everything you did on that night."
"I shan't," said Maud, setting her baby face in an obstinate frown.
"You would tell on me, a woman, your own cousin?"
"You never hesitated to tell about me," said Herries, grimly.
"That's different--you are a man--you can defend yourself, not like poor little me. I have enemies," and she scowled at the Mexican lady in a most venomous manner.
"I am not afraid," said Señora Guzman sitting down near the door. "You would like to kill me with a look, and marry Bruce, but you will not. Oh no, he will be my husband."
"Aha. You will accuse him, Miss Tedder. I make you my compliments on your delicate way of making love."
"Oh, but he does, Mademoiselle; you mistake. Bruce is not fond of English babies," this with a disdainful look at Maud's childish face, twisted with rage and grief.
"Ah, you cat. Wait till I see him face to face. He can't resist me. He never loved you--never, never, never."
Señora Guzman laughed again in the most irritating manner.
"You will never see him face to face. We go away, he and I, from this land of yours to South America. There we shall be happy."
"He shan't go, he won't go. I'll tell the police. I'll have him hanged. I'll--oh--oh--oh," she appeared to be on the verge of a fit of hysterics, when Herries, thinking this scene between the two women had gone far enough, caught her by the arms, and hurt her a trifle. The pain made her cry out, but it strung her up to overcoming the hysteria.