You may say that he had made a fortune, and
was satisfied; that is your view, Gray. I prefer to think that he was
anxious to begin a new life and to make himself more worthy of the
respect of those he loved.
"There was one obstacle which proved too great for him--Mrs. Sin.
Although Juan Mareno was the spokesman of the group, Lola Mareno was
the prompter. All Sir Lucien's plans for weaning Mrs. Irvin from the
habits which she had acquired were deliberately and malignantly foiled
by this woman. She endeavored to inveigle Mrs. Irvin into indebtedness
to you, Gray, as you know now. Failing in this, she endeavored to kill
her by depriving her of that which had at the time become practically
indispensable. A venomous jealousy led her to almost suicidal
measures. She risked exposure and ruin in her endeavors to dispose of
one whom she looked upon as a rival.
"During Sir Lucien's several absences from London she was particularly
active, and this brings me to the closing scene of the drama. On the
night that you determined, in desperation, Mrs. Irvin, to see Kazmah
personally, you will recall that Sir Lucien went out to telephone to
him?"
Rita nodded but did not speak.
"Actually," Seton explained, "he instructed Mareno to go across the
leads to Kazmah's directly you had left the flat, and to give you a
certain message as 'Kazmah.
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