A forger and perhaps something else.

Here, indeed, was a motive for Miss Loach to meet with her death at her nephew's hand.

Probably on the night in question she threatened to let the law take its course, and then Basil--but at this point of his meditations a ring came at the door.
In a few moments Cuthbert heard a step he knew and rose with an agitated air.

Basil entered the room.
The young man was carefully dressed as usual in his rather affected way, but his face was pale and he seemed uneasy.

"I see you have had a visit from Hale," he said, trying to appear at his ease.
"How do you know that ?" asked Mallow abruptly, and declining to see the proffered hand.
"I saw Hale enter a cab as I came up the stairs," said Basil, drawing back; "and even had I not seen him I would know that he has been telling you a lot of lies because you refuse to shake hands." "Are they lies ?" "Ah, then, he has been talking.