If
Simpkins marries her, it's extremely unlikely that he'll live long
enough to find out whether she really has a large fortune, or is simply
spending her capital."
After breakfast Major Kent returned to the subject of Miss King.
"I suppose," he said, "that you're absolutely certain that you've got a
hold of the right woman? You couldn't be making any sort of mistake?"
"I told you last night that I was certain, and I gave you my reasons;
pretty convincing ones I imagine--the sort of reasons that would be
conclusive to any man at all accustomed to criminal investigation. I
don't myself see how you can get behind the portrait and the lady's own
confession."
"You couldn't possibly have mistaken about that, could you? I mean she
couldn't have been confessing anything else which you could have taken
up to mean murder?"
"No, she couldn't. In the first place, it isn't at all likely that
there would be two attractive-looking lady criminals, travelling about
in trains at the same time, both wanting to confess what they had done.
In the second place, her crime must have been pretty serious, for she
was particularly anxious to find out whether it was likely to shock
you.
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