"But I have proved to you that Mrs. Vrain remained at Bath."
"I know it," replied Diana quickly, "but she sent Ferruci up to kill my father, and I speak in the plural because I think—in a moral sense—she is as guilty as the Italian."
"That may be, Miss Vrain, but as yet we have not proved their guilt."
Diana made no answer, but, followed by Lucian, ascended to the upper part of the house, where they found Mrs. Kebby sweeping so vigorously that she had raised a kind of dust storm.
As soon as she saw the couple she hobbled towards them to cajole them, if possible, into giving her money.
For a few moments Diana looked at her haughtily, not relishing the familiarity of the old dame, but unexpectedly she stepped forward with a look of excitement.
"Where did you get that ribbon?" she asked Mrs Kebby, pointing to a scrap of personal adornment on the neck of the rusty old creature.
"This?" croaked Mrs. Kebby. "I picked it up in the kitchen downstairs.
It's a pretty red and yaller thing, but of no value, miss, so I don't s'pose you'll take it orf me."
Paying no attention to this whimpering, Diana twitched the ribbon out of the old woman's hands and examined it.
It was a broad yellow ribbon of rich silk, spotted with red—very noticeably and evidently of foreign manufacture.
"It is the same!" cried Diana, greatly excited. "Mr. Denzil, I bought this ribbon myself in Florence!"
"Well," said Lucian, wondering at her excitement, "and what does that prove?"
"This: that a stiletto which my father bought in Florence, at the same time, has been used to kill him!
I tied this ribbon myself round the handle of the stiletto!"
CHAPTER XI FURTHER DISCOVERIES
The silence which followed Diana's announcement regarding the ribbon and stiletto—for Lucian kept silence out of sheer astonishment—was broken by the hoarse voice of Mrs. Kebby:
"If ye want the ribbon, miss, I'll not say no to a shilling.
With what your good gentleman promised, that will be three as I'm ready to take," and Mrs. Kebby held out a dirty claw for the silver.
"You'll sell it, will you!" cried out Diana indignantly, pouncing down on the harridan. "How dare you keep what isn't yours?
If you had shown the detective this," shaking the ribbon in Mrs. Kebby's face, "he might have caught the criminal!"
"Pardon me," interposed Lucian, finding his voice, "I hardly think so, Miss Vrain; for no one but yourself could have told that the ribbon adorned the stiletto.
Where did you see the weapon last?"
"In the library at Berwin Manor.
I hung it up on the wall myself, by this ribbon."
"Are you sure it is the same ribbon?"
"I am certain," replied Diana emphatically. "I cannot be mistaken; the colour and pattern are both peculiar.
Where did you find it?" she added, turning to Mrs. Kebby.
"In the kitchen, I tell ye," growled the old woman sullenly. "I only found it this blessed morning.
'Twas in a dark corner, near the door as leads down to the woodshed.
How was I to know 'twas any good?"
"Did you find anything else?" asked Lucian mildly.
"No, I didn't, sir."
"Not a stiletto?" demanded Diana, putting the ribbon in her pocket.
"I don't know what's a stiletter, miss; but I didn't find nothing; and I ain't a thief, though some people as sets themselves above others by taking ribbons as doesn't belong to 'em mayn't be much good."
"The ribbon is not yours," said Diana haughtily.
"Yes it are! Findings is keepings with me!" answered Mrs. Kebby.
"Don't anger her," whispered Denzil, touching Miss Vrain's arm. "We may find her useful."
Diana looked from him to the old woman, and opened her purse, at the sight of which Mrs. Kebby's sour face relaxed.
When Miss Vrain gave her half a sovereign she quite beamed with joy.
"The blessing of heaven on you, my dear," she said, with a curtsey. "Gold! good gold!
Ah! this is a brave day's work for me—thirteen blessed shillings!"
"Ten, you mean, Mrs. Kebby!"
"Oh, no, sir," cried Mrs. Kebby obsequiously, "the lady gave me ten, bless her heart, but you've quite forgot your three."
"I said two."
"Ah! so you did, sir. I'm a poor schollard at 'rithmetic."
"You're clever enough to get money out of people," said Diana, who was disgusted at the avarice of the hag. "However, for the present you must be content with what I have given you.
If, in cleaning this house, you find any other article, whatever it may be, you shall have another ten shillings, on consideration that you take it at once to Mr. Denzil."
Mrs. Kebby, who was tying up the piece of gold in the corner of her handkerchief, nodded her old head with much complacency.
"I'll do it, miss; that is, if the gentleman will pay on delivery.