Page:The Master of Mysteries (1912).djvu/195

 "Fanny," said Astro.

Miss Dalrymple sank beside her maid and began to weep silently.

"Do you understand now?" said Astro to his assistant.

"What a fiend!" she cried. "Her stepmother meant this trap for Miss Dalrymple! She buried an infernal machine here! But how was it exploded?"

Astro pointed to the motionless body. "The reason why I did not caution Miss Dalrymple not to show her maid the translation of the cipher was because I wanted the second Mrs. Dalrymple to believe that her hellish trick was going to be successful. I was afraid Miss Dalrymple's curiosity would induce her to dig under the rose bush before I came. To-night I wrung a confession from her stepmother revealing this whole frightful business. That's why I hurried. But I had no idea of Fanny's duplicity. Evidently, though she was a spy for the Brooklyn woman, she did not have her complete confidence. Fanny thought she would get the letter before Miss Dalrymple dug it up, and use it to extort money. You see how well she has succeeded."

"Oh! is she dead?" whispered Valeska.

"Luckily, no; only stunned. Mrs. Myra Dalrymple probably won't have to go to the electric chair for it, though she deserves it richly. But, at least, there will be no more contest over the will. In the first place, I got the letter from her to-night; in the second, if I hadn't, we could prevent her opposition by our knowledge of this crime. She'll leave the country to-morrow."

The cab was now heard. It stopped, and the driver, with a physician, came running up the walk.