But he
told no one of his discovery."
"Why not? How dared he keep silence?"
"It is very simple. He wished to marry my ward, Lois Caruthers, and he
wished to have her money. As I have said, Caruthers had adopted her
when her mother, the Reni Ona, returned to her own people, and had
made her his heir in the case that he should have no children of his
own. Had your existence been known Lois would have been penniless.
Travers knew this and kept his secret from every one save Stafford."
"Why did he tell Stafford?"
"He had to. Stafford and Lois loved each other--with a love which was
all too natural and explicable in the light of our present knowledge.
It was necessary that he should be made aware that marriage between
them was impossible--that they were, in fact, the children of the same
father."
"Stafford kept silence--"
"He had promised. And, moreover, he believed it kinder to hide the
truth from Lois. Only at the last he determined to speak at all costs.
But it was too late. You know--he was murdered on the steps of
Travers' house."
Nehal Singh nodded. An even deadlier pallor crept over his features.
"I know," he said. "It was Behar Singh's last vengeance. God knows, my
hands are clean."
"That I know. You are your father's son."
"And the proof of all this?"
"This ring. Take it. It was your mother's. Travers gave it to me when
he made his confession. He took it from the poor mad woman at their
first meeting.
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