"And you, Mrs. Ellis, after your stormy, early life?"
"I am content to remain in this haven," smiled Janet. "I have a good home and a loving husband. What more can a woman want?"
"Egad! some women want a sight more. Your story is not known here?"
"No," replied Ellis, promptly. "Janet and I have cut ourselves off completely from the past. We never think of it."
"Except when we are obliged," said Mrs. Ellis. "I received a letter from Laura the other day. She is going to be married to an Austrian officer, a young Count who is deeply in love with her."
"H'm! or with her money?" said Cass. "However, if she buys a title in that way I suppose she will be satisfied. And her husband has only been dead a year! She is soon consoled. I hope she will have better luck with her second husband than she had with her first. And Zirknitz?"
"He is in Italy, in attendance on an American heiress."
"Oh, poor heiress! He will marry her and spend her money."
"But it will take place all the same," said Cass, promptly. "Zirknitz is the most fascinating scoundrel I ever met. Even though a woman knew he was a scamp she would love him. Oh, he'll marry money and be rich, and, having no heart, be as happy as the day is long."
"I know that, else he would not have accused him of being his murderer."
"As to that," said Ellis, musingly, "I can never quite understand Moxton's reason. If he did not wish to harm Zirknitz, why did he write the initials of his name at all? If he did, why put them in a secret writing known only to his wife and Janet?"
Janet shook her head. "I think at the last he had some compunction for the way in which he had treated Laura. He believed that Zirknitz had killed him, and wished to give Laura power over him lest he should take her money."
"That is not a very satisfactory explanation," said Cass, with a shrug. "But I suppose no other can be given. At all events, Zirknitz did get some of Laura's money."
"Red money," said Mrs. Ellis, with a shudder; "the money of violence!"
"Well, red money has done a lot for me," said the doctor, putting his arm round his wife's waist; "it has given me this ease and you."
"Not me, Robert. I came to you of my own accord."
"Dearest and best of women," said Ellis, and kissed her fondly.