Kitabı oku: «The Opal Serpent», sayfa 15

CHAPTER XXII
FURTHER EVIDENCE

After all, Hurd did not send Jessop to town as he threatened to do. Evidently the captain had told him all he knew, and appeared to be innocent of Krill's death. But, in spite of his apparent frankness the detective had an idea that something was being kept back, and what that something might be, he determined to find out. However, his thoughts were turned in another direction by a note from Beecot addressed to him at "The Red Pig," asking him to come at once to the Jubileetown Laundry. "I believe we have discovered the person who stole the opal brooch from me," wrote Paul, "and Deborah has made a discovery connected with Norman which may prove to be of service."

Wondering what the discovery might be, and wondering also who had taken the brooch, Hurd arranged that Jessop and Hokar should remain at Christchurch under the eyes of two plain-clothes officials. These managed their duties so dexterously that Matilda Junk was far from guessing what was going on. Moreover, she informed the detective, who she thought was a commercial gent, that she intended to pay a visit to her sister, Mrs. Tawsey, and demanded the address, which Hurd gave readily enough. He thought that if Matilda knew anything – such as the absence of Mrs. Krill from the hotel during the early part of July – Deborah might induce her to talk freely.

Hokar had proved a difficult subject. Whether he was too grateful to Mrs. Krill to speak out, or whether he really did not understand what was asked of him, he certainly showed a talent for holding his tongue. However, Hurd saw well enough that the man was afraid of the Sahib's law, and when matters came to a crisis would try and prove his innocence even at the cost of implicating others. Therefore, with an easy mind the detective left these two witnesses being watched at Christchurch and repaired to town, where Aurora informed him of the interview with Hay. Billy approved of the way in which his sister had managed matters.

"I guessed that Hay was the man who put Mrs. Krill on the track of her husband," he said, with satisfaction; "but I wasn't quite sure how he spotted the man."

"Oh, the one eye identified him," said Aurora, who was eating chocolate as usual, "and Norman's fainting at the sight of the brooch confirmed Hay's belief as to who he was. I wonder he didn't make a bargain with Norman on his own."

Hurd shook his head. "It wouldn't have paid so well," said he, wisely. "Norman would have parted only with a small sum, whereas this murder will bring in Hay a clear five thousand a year when he marries the girl. Hay acted cleverly enough."

"But I tell you Hay has nothing to do with the murder."

"That may be so, though I don't trust him. But Mrs. Krill might have strangled her husband so as to get the money."

"What makes you think she did?" asked Aurora, doubtfully.

"Well, you see, from what Jessop says, Mrs. Krill is devotedly attached to Maud, and she may have been anxious to revenge her daughter on Krill. He acted like a brute and fastened the child's lips together, so Mrs. Krill treated him in the same way."

"Hum," said Miss Qian, reflectively, "but can you prove that Mrs. Krill was in town on the night of the murder?"

"That's what I'm going to find out," said Hurd. "All you have to do is to keep your eyes on Hay – "

"Oh, he won't cut, if that's what you mean. He thinks everything is square, now that I've got those boys to stop chattering. He'll marry Maud and annex the money."

"He may marry Maud," said Hurd, emphatically, "but he certainly won't get the five thousand a year. Miss Norman will."

"Hold on," cried Aurora, shrewdly. "Maud may not be Lemuel Krill's child, or she may have been born before Krill married the mother, but in any case, Sylvia Norman isn't the child of a legal marriage. Krill certainly committed bigamy, so his daughter Sylvia can't inherit."

"Well," said Hurd, "I can't say. I'll see Pash about the matter. After all, the will left the money to 'my daughter,' and that Sylvia is beyond doubt, whatever Maud may be. And I say, Aurora, just you go down to Stowley in Buckinghamshire. I haven't time to look into matters there myself."

"What do you want me to do there?"

"Find out all about the life of Mrs. Krill before she married Krill and came to Christchurch. She's the daughter of a farmer. You'll find the name in this." Hurd passed along a copy of the marriage certificate which Mrs. Krill had given to Pash. "Anne Tyler is her maiden name. Find out what you can. She was married to Krill at Beechill, Bucks."

Miss Qian took the copy of the certificate and departed, grumbling at the amount of work she had to do to earn her share of the reward. Hurd, on his part, took the underground train to Liverpool Street Station, and then travelled to Jubileetown. He arrived there at twelve o'clock and was greeted by Paul.

"I've been watching for you all the morning," said Beecot, who looked flushed and eager. "Sylvia and I have made such a discovery."

Hurd nodded good-humoredly as he entered the house and shook hands with the girl.

"Miss Norman has been doing some detective business on her own account," he said, smiling. "Hullo, who is this?"

He made this remark, because Mrs. Purr, sitting in a corner of the room with red eyes, rose and dropped a curtsey.

"I'm called to tell you what I do tell on my Bible oath," said Mrs. Purr, with fervor.

"Mrs. Purr can give some valuable evidence," said Paul, quickly.

"Oh, can she? Then I'll hear what she has to say later. First, I must clear the ground by telling you and Miss Norman what I have discovered at Christchurch."

So Mrs. Purr, rather unwillingly, for she felt the importance of her position, was bundled out of the room, and Hurd sat down to relate his late adventures. This he did clearly and slowly, and was interrupted frequently by exclamations of astonishment from his two hearers. "So there," said the detective, when finishing, "you have the beginning of the end."

"Then you think that Mrs. Krill killed her husband?" asked Paul, dubiously.

"I can't say for certain," was the cautious reply; "but I think so, on the face of the evidence which you have heard. What do you say?"

"Don't say anything," said Sylvia, before Paul could reply. "Mr. Hurd had better read this paper. It was found by Deborah in an old box belonging to my father, which was brought from Gwynne Street."

She gave the detective several sheets of blue foolscap pinned together and closely written in the shaky handwriting of Aaron Norman. Hurd looked at it rather dubiously. "What is it?" he asked.

"The paper referred to in that unfinished scrap of writing which was discovered behind the safe," explained Paul. "Norman evidently wrote it out, and placed it in his pocket, where he forgot it. Deborah found it in an old coat, she discovered in a box of clothes brought from Gwynne Street. They were Norman's clothes and his box, and should have been left behind."

"Debby won't hear of that," said Sylvia, laughing. "She says Mrs. Krill has got quite enough, and she took all she could."

"What's all this writing about?" asked Hurd, turning over the closely-written sheets. "To save time you had better give me a précis of the matter. Is it important?"

"Very I should say," responded Paul, emphatically. "It contains an account of Norman's life from the time he left Christchurch."

"Hum." Hurd's eyes brightened. "I'll read it at my leisure, but at the present moment you might say what you can."

"Well, you know a good deal of it," said Paul, who did the talking at a sign from Sylvia. "It seems that Norman – we'd better stick to the old name – left Christchurch because he was afraid of being accused of murdering Lady Rachel."

"Was she really murdered?"

"Norman doesn't say. He swears he knows nothing about the matter. The first intimation he had was when Jessop came down with the news after blundering into the wrong bedroom. But he hints that Mrs. Krill killed her."

"Can he prove that?"

"No. He can't give any proof, or, at all events, he doesn't. He declares that when his wife and daughter – "

"Oh! does he call Maud his daughter?"

"Yes! We can talk of that later," said Paul, impatiently. "Well, then, Norman says he went fairly mad. Jessop had bolted, but Norman knew he would not give the alarm, since he might be accused himself of killing Lady Rachel. Maud, who had seen the body, wanted to run out and call the neighbors."

"How old does Norman say she was?"

"About fifteen; quite old enough to make things unpleasant."

"Then she can't inherit the money," said Hurd, decisively.

"No," cried Beecot, quickly, "both Sylvia and I think so. But to go on with Norman's confession. He would not let Maud go. She began to scream, and he feared lest she should alarm the neighbors. He tied a handkerchief across her lips, but she got free, and again began to scream. Then he cruelly fastened her lips together with the opal brooch."

"Where did he get that, if innocent?"

"He declared that he spied it on the floor of the sitting-room, near his wife's feet, and then hints that she strangled Lady Rachel to get it and turn it into money as she was desperately in need of cash for Maud. Mrs. Krill idolized the child."

"I know that," snapped Hurd. "Go on."

"When Norman fastened the child's lips together, Mrs. Krill threw herself on him in a rage. He knocked her insensible, and then ran away. He walked through the night, until, at dawn, he came to a distant railway station. There he took a ticket and went to London. He concealed himself until there was no chance of his being discovered, and besides, saw the verdict of the jury in the newspapers. But he was determined he would not go back to his wife, because she threatened him."

"In what way?"

"Ah," said Paul, while Sylvia shuddered, "in a strange way. When he fastened the child's lips together, Mrs. Krill said that she would do the same to him one day and with the same brooch."

Hurd uttered an exclamation. "So that was why she wanted the brooch so much?" he exclaimed eagerly.

"Yes. And she told Hay she wanted it though she did not reveal her reason. She said if she got the brooch he would be allowed to marry Maud, with whom Hay was deeply in love. Hay stumbled across me by accident, and I happened to have the brooch. The rest you know."

"No," said Hurd, "I don't know how the brooch came into the possession of Mrs. Krill again, to use in the cruel way she threatened."

"Well," said Sylvia, quickly, "we aren't sure if Mrs. Krill did get the brooch."

"The evidence is against her," said Hurd; "remember the threat – "

"Yes, but wait till you hear Mrs. Purr," said Paul, "but just a moment, Hurd. You must learn how Norman laid the foundations of his fortune."

"Ah, I forget! Well?" and the detective settled himself to listen further.

"He was hard up and almost starving for a long time after he came to London," explained Paul, "then he got a post in a second-hand bookshop kept by a man called Garner in the Minories. He had a daughter, Lillian – "

"My mother," put in Sylvia, softly.

"Yes," went on Beecot, quickly, "and this girl being lonely fell in love with Norman, as he now called himself. He wasn't an attractive man with his one eye, so it is hard to say how Miss Garner came to love him. But she married him in the end. You'll find everything explained at length in the paper we gave you. Then old Garner died, and Lillian inherited a considerable sum of money, together with the stock. Her husband removed the books to Gwynne Street and started business. But with the money he began to trade in jewels, and you know how he got on."

"That's all plain enough," said Hurd, putting the confession of Norman into his pocket. "I suppose the man dreaded lest his first wife should turn up."

"Yes! And that's why he fainted when he saw the brooch. Not knowing that Jessop had removed it from Maud's mouth and pawned it – "

"I'm not so sure of that," said Hurd, quickly. "Bart overheard him talking of Stowley and the pawnbroker there."

"Well," said Paul, with a shrug, "he says nothing about it in the confession. Perhaps he did trace the brooch to the Stowley shop, but if so, I wonder he did not get it, seeing he wanted it. But when he saw it in my possession, he thought I might know of Mrs. Krill and might put her on the track. Hence his fainting. Later, he learned how I became possessed of it, and tried to buy it. Then came the accident, and I really believed for a time that Hay had stolen it."

"Aurora says he swore he did not."

"And he didn't," said Paul, going to the door. "Mrs. Purr!"

"You don't mean to say that old woman prigged it?" asked Hurd.

"No. But she warned me against that boy Tray on the day Deborah was married. Later, I asked her what she meant, and she then told me that she had learned from Tray's grandmother, a drunken old thief, how the boy brought home the opal brooch, and – "

Here Mrs. Purr, who had entered and was dropping curtseys to the majesty of the law, as represented by Hurd, thought an undue advantage was being taken of her position. She wished to talk herself, and interrupted Paul, in a shrill voice.

"Granny Clump, she is," said Mrs. Purr, folding her hands under her apron. "Tray's gran'mother, as 'is name is Tray Clump, I swear on my Bible oath. A wicked old woman as is famous for drink – "

"I've heard of her," said the detective, remembering; "she's been up heaps of times."

"And grows no better," wailed Mrs. Purr, bibulously, for she had been strengthening herself for the interview with frequent libations of gin. "Oh, what a thing strong drink is, sir! But Granny Clump, bein' ill with the lungses, and me bein' 'elpful in sich cases, 'aving bin a nuss, when young, as I won't deceive you by denying, called on me to be a good Smart 'un. And I wos, though she swore awful, saying she wanted gin an' jellies, an' could 'ave 'ad them, if that limb – so did she name Tray, gentlemen both – 'ad only 'anded to 'er the rich brooch he brought 'ome, just afore he went to earn a decent livin' at the lawr orfice, which 'is name is Pash – "

"Ha," said Hurd, thoughtfully, "I'll see the boy."

"You can see him now," said Beecot, unexpectedly. "When I learned this from Mrs. Purr and knew you were coming, I sent a message to Pash's office for the boy. He came up quite unsuspectingly, but he refused to speak. I shut him up in a back room, and Deborah has been watching him – "

"An' the languige of that blessed limb!" exclaimed Mrs. Purr, raising her hands.

"Bring him in," said Hurd. "Miss Norman, if the boy uses bad language, you needn't stay."

Sylvia, having heard what Tray could do in this way, needed no further hint. She left the room gladly, and told Deborah to bring along her prisoner. Shortly, the noise of kicking and strong language was heard coming nearer, and Deborah, with a red face and a firm mouth, appeared at the door, holding aloft a small boy who was black in the face with rage. "There," said Deborah, flinging Tray in a heap at the detective's feet, "if me an' Bart 'ave sich a brat, I 'ope he dies in his cradle, instead of growing to a galler's thief in th' use of words which make me shudder, let alone my pretty. Ugh!" she shook her fist at Tray. "You Old Bailey viper, though young at that."

"Here," said Tray, rising, much dishevelled, but with a white face, "let me go. I'll 'ave the lawr of you."

"I'll attend to that, my lad," said Hurd, dryly. "Now, then, where did you get that brooch?"

"Sha'n't tell," snapped the boy, and put his tongue out.

Hurd gave him a smack with an open hand on the side of his face, and Master Clump began to blubber.

"Assalting me – oh, won't you ketch it," he raged in his puny wrath. "My master's a law-cove, and he'll 'ave y' up before the beak."

"You answer my questions," said Hurd, sternly, "or you'll get another clout. You know who I am well enough. Make a clean breast of it, you imp, or I'll lock you up."

"If I make a clean breast will you let me cut?" asked Tray, beginning to whimper, but with a cunning gleam in his eyes.

"I'll see, when I know what you have to say."

Tray looked round the room to see if there was any way of escape. But Paul guarded the closed window and Deborah, itching to box his ears, stood before the door. Before him was the stern-faced detective with whom Tray knew well enough he dare not trifle. Under these circumstances he made the best of a bad job, and told what he knew although he interpolated threats all the time. "Wot d'y want with me?" he demanded sulkily.

"Where did you find that brooch?"

"I prigged it from Mr. Beecot's pocket when he wos smashed."

"Did Mr. Hay tell you to steal it?"

"No, he didn't."

"Then how did you know the brooch was in my pocket?" asked Paul.

"I was a-dodgin' round the shorp," snapped Tray, "and I 'eard Mr. Norman an' Mr. Beecot a-talkin' of the brooch; Mr. Beecot said as he 'ad the brooch in 'is pocket – "

"Yes, I certainly did," said Paul, remembering the conversation.

"Well, when the smash come, I dodged in and prigged it. T'wos easy 'nough," grinned Tray, "for I felt it in 'is bres' poket and collared it. I wanted to guv it t' th' ole man, thinkin' he'd pay fur it, as he said he would. But arter the smash I went 'ome t' m' grann' and hid the brooch. W'en I wos a-lookin' at it at night, I sawr 'er a-lookin' at it, and she grabbed it. I cut away with m'own property, not wishin' to be robbed by the ole gal."

"What did you do then?"

Tray wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve. "I 'eard that Mr. Norman wos dead – "

"Yes, and you told Jessop so in the office. How did you know?"

"'Cause I went to the shorp in th' mornin' to sell the brooch to th' ole man. He was a goner, so I cut to Mr. Pash, as wos his lawyer, and said I'd sell 'im the brooch."

"What?" cried Hurd, rising. "You gave the brooch to Mr. Pash?"

"Yuss. He said he'd 'ave me up for stealin', and wouldn't guv me even a bob fur it. But he said I'd be his noo orfice boy. I thought I'd be respectable, so I went. And now," ended Master Clump in a sullen manner, "you knows all, and I ain't done nothin', so I'm orf."

Deborah caught him by the tail of his jacket as he made a dart at the door and swung him into the middle of the room. Hurd laid hands on him. "You come along with me," he said. "I'll confront you with Pash."

Tray gave a howl of terror. "He'll kill me," he shouted, "as he killed the old cove. Yuss. He did it. Pash did it," and he howled again.

CHAPTER XXIII
WHAT PASH SAID

In a smoking compartment, which the three had to themselves, Hurd resumed his examination of Tray. They were now on their way to Liverpool Street and thence the detective intended to convey the boy to Pash's office in Chancery Lane. Paul sat in one corner much excited over the turn events had taken. He began to think that the assassin of Aaron Norman would be found after all. More, he believed that Sylvia would yet inherit the five thousand a year she was entitled to, morally, if not legally. Hurd, in another corner, pulled Tray roughly towards him, and shook his finger in the lad's face. The boy was sulky and defiant, yet there was a trace of fear in his eyes, and the reason of this Hurd wished to learn.

"You're a young liar," said Hurd, emphatically, "and not a clever one either. Do you think to play the fool with me?"

"I've tole you all straight," grumbled Tray.

"No, you haven't. Anyone can see that you've made a mistake. I leave it to Mr. Beecot yonder."

"I was about to draw your attention to the mistake," said Paul; "you mean the discrepancy in time."

Master Clump started and became more sulky than ever. He cast down his cunning eyes and shuffled with his feet while Hurd lectured him. "You know well enough," said the detective, sharply, "that the brooch was boned by you on the very evening when the murder took place. It was then that Mr. Beecot met with his accident. Therefore, you could not have given the brooch to Mr. Pash the next morning, as it had been used on the previous night."

"Sha'n't say anythin' more," retorted Tray, defiantly.

"Oh, won't you?" cried Hurd, ironically, "we'll see about that. You told that lie about the time to account for your knowing of the murder before anyone else did."

"No," said Tray, decidedly, "I did go to the shorp in th' mornin'."

"That you may have done, but not to sell the brooch. Mr. Pash had taken it from you on the previous night."

"He didn't," denied the boy.

"Then in that case you've told a lie. Pash never had the brooch, and has nothing to do with the murder."

"He did prig the brooch from me, and he did kill the ole cove."

"Well, we'll see what Mr. Pash will say when you accuse him," said Hurd; "but I don't believe one word of it. It's my opinion that you gave that brooch to a third party on the same evening as you stole it. Now, then, who did you give it to?"

"Mr. Pash," persisted Tray.

"On the same evening?"

There was no reply to this. Tray set his lips firmly and refused to speak. Hurd shook an admonitory finger again. "You can't play fast and loose with me, my lad," he said grimly; "if you didn't part with that brooch, you must be mixed up in the crime yourself. Perhaps you pinned the poor wretch's mouth together. It's just the sort of cruel thing a young Cain like you would do."

"I didn't," said Master Clump, doggedly; "you take me to master, and I'll tell him what I tells you. He's the one."

Hurd shook the boy to make him talk more, but Tray simply threw himself on the floor of the carriage and howled. The detective therefore picked him up and flung him into a corner. "You stop there, you little ruffian," he said, seriously annoyed at the boy's recalcitrants; "we'll speak again when we are in Mr. Pash's office." So Tray curled up on the cushion, looked savagely at the detective and held his tongue.

"What do you think will be the end of all this?" asked Paul, when Master Clump was thus disposed of.

"Lord knows," replied Hurd, wiping his face. "I never had a harder case to deal with. I thought Hay had a hand in it, but it seems he hadn't, bad lot as he is, asking your pardon, Mr. Beecot, since you're his friend."

"That I am not," disclaimed Beecot, emphatically; "there's a young lawyer I know, Ford is his name. I went to see him as to what chances Sylvia had of getting the money. He was at school with me, and remembered Hay. He said that Hay was dismissed from Torrington School for stealing."

"Didn't you know that yourself."

"No, I had left the school – I was ill at home with scarlet fever. But Hay apparently always has been a bad lot. He and that Krill pair are well matched, for I believe the mother is bad, even if the daughter Maud isn't. By the way her age – ?"

Hurd nodded. "I believe she was fifteen at the time of the death of Lady Rachel. If so, she can't be legitimate or may not be the daughter of Aaron Norman. However, I've asked my sister to look up Mrs. Krill's past life in Stowley, where she comes from."

"But she wasn't married to Krill at Stowley?"

"No. But she lived there as Anne Tyler. From the certificate she was married to Krill at a small parish church twenty miles from Stowley, so Aurora will go there. But I want her to stop at Stowley first and learn all she can about Anne Tyler."

"Beechill's the name of the parish in which she was married to Krill before she came to Christchurch," said Paul, musingly, "so I expect they lived there. Miss Qian might search also for the certificate of Maud Krill's birth."

"I told her to, and, failing that, she's to search in Christchurch. We must get the certificate of birth somehow."

"Hurd," said Paul, rather diffidently, "I hope you won't be annoyed, but I have already asked my friend Ford to give notice to Pash to produce the certificate."

"Well," replied the detective, "you might have told me; but no great harm is done. What does Pash say?"

"I don't know. Ford has not let me know yet. Here we are."

This remark was caused by the stopping of the train at Liverpool Street Station. A number of people were returning from their employment in the city to the country, and the platforms were crowded. Hurd grasped Master Clump by the arm and marched him along. But in the confusion of finding his ticket at the barrier, he happened to let go, almost without thinking. In a moment Tray had darted through the barrier and was lost in the crowd. Hurd sprang after him, and left Paul to explain. He hurriedly did so, and then went out to see if the detective had caught the boy.

Hurd was nowhere to be seen, neither was Tray. The crowd was increasing thick, and Beecot was at a loss what to do. After waiting for an hour without finding the pair, he thought he would go to Pash's office. It might be that Hurd, having caught Tray, would take him there at once, leaving Beecot to follow. So Paul got on to the metropolitan railway and alighted at the Temple Station. Thence he walked up to the office in Chancery Lane.

"Where's Tray?" asked Paul, of the one clerk in the outer room, who was writing for dear life.

"I don't know, sir," said the clerk; "he went out this morning and hasn't been back all day. Mr. Pash is very angry with him."

Apparently Hurd had not caught the boy yet, or if he had, did not intend to bring him to the office. "Can I see Mr. Pash?" asked Paul, thinking he might as well make some use of his time.

The clerk inquired if the solicitor would see Beecot, and presently ushered him into the inner room, where Pash sat looking more like a monkey than ever. He did not appear at all pleased to see the young man, and sucked in his cheek with a crabbed air.

"Well, Mr. Beecot, what can I do for you?" he snarled.

"You might be civil in the first place," said Paul quietly, taking a chair. "You haven't behaved over well to Miss Norman and me."

"Oh," said Pash, coolly, "have you come to reproach me with that?"

"I never waste time," rejoined Paul, equally coolly. "I'll leave you to your conscience."

Pash shrugged his shoulders and put his feet on the rungs of his chair. "I think my conscience can stand that," he said; "it's business, Mr. Beecot, business. By the way, I have received a request from Mr. Ford of Cheapside to produce the certificate of birth of Miss Krill. What is the meaning of that?"

"I think you know very well, Mr. Pash."

"I profess my ignorance," said Pash, ironically, although he looked uneasy, and was apparently lying.

"In that case you had better wait till you hear from Mr. Ford."

"Are you employing Mr. Ford, may I ask?"

Paul nodded. "On behalf of Miss Norman," said he, coldly.

"Ah," sneered the monkey, "you think you'll get the money."

"Wait till you hear from Mr. Ford," retorted Paul again, and enjoyed the baffled expression on Mr. Pash's wrinkled face. "By the way, sir, why did you not tell Hurd that Tray gave you the opal brooch?"

Pash turned all the colors of the rainbow. "Does that brat I took into my office out of charity dare to say that he did."

"He does, and what is more, Mr. Hurd is bringing him here to make the statement, face to face with you. I am determined to get to the bottom of this case, sir, for Miss Norman's sake. And the possession of the brooch forms an important link."

"How so?"

"The person who had that brooch on the evening of the sixth of July murdered Norman," said Paul, calmly.

Pash jumped up and chattered like a baboon in a rage. "Do you mean to accuse me?" he demanded. "Take care – take care."

"I don't accuse you. Tray does."

"It's a lie – a lie – "

"Don't excite yourself, Mr. Pash. You'll need all your wits to convince Hurd. Tray accuses you, and Hurd suspects you. I have nothing to do with the matter."

"You put Hurd up to this," foamed Pash, hardly able to speak.

"Pardon me. Hurd is working for the reward offered by your client. Don't you think it was rather foolish of her to offer such a large reward, Mr. Pash, even though she did so to avert suspicion?"

The solicitor changed color again. "I don't understand you."

Paul shrugged his shoulders and rose to go. "Perhaps Mr. Hurd will explain," he said, and made for the door.

Pash, with his monkey face much perplexed, sat hunched in his chair, biting his fingers. As Paul laid his hand on the knob, he called him back. "I can explain," he said nervously.

"Not to me," said Paul, coldly.

"I prefer to do so to you," said the lawyer, hurriedly.

"Why to me particularly."

"Because I don't think I have acted very well towards Miss Norman, and, as you are to marry her, you may be able to arrange – "

"To make peace I suppose you mean," burst out Beecot; "no, Mr. Pash, you have acted like a scoundrel. You left that poor girl in the lurch as soon as you found that Miss Krill was – as you thought – legally entitled to the money."

"What do you mean by hinting she isn't?"

"Because you know very well what her age is," retorted Paul. "This matter will be shifted to the bottom, Mr. Pash, by my friend Ford, and if things are as I think they are, Miss Krill won't keep that money. You know very well – "

"Miss Norman won't get the money either," snarled Pash, "I know that very well. Leastways," he added, "without my assistance."

"More of your crooked ways," said Paul, indignantly. "Tell what you like to Hurd. I refuse to listen."

As he spoke he opened the door and found himself facing Hurd who was red and hot. The detective stepped into the office, and as he passed Paul, whispered, "Hold your tongue about the boy," then he turned to Mr. Pash. "Well, sir," he puffed, "I have had a job catching up Mr. Beecot. No doubt you know why I have come?"

"No," said Pash, dryly; "I don't see Tray."

"Tray will keep. I've got him safe under lock and key. Before bringing you face to face with him I thought it best to give you an opportunity of clearing yourself."

"Of what?" asked Pash, in a brazen manner.

Hurd looked at Beecot who spoke. "Mr. Pash knows very well that Tray accuses him of the crime," he said. "I told him so, and he professed his readiness to explain to you."

"Ah," said Hurd, "shut the door, Mr. Beecot. No need to let all London know the truth."

"I don't know it," said Pash, as Paul closed the door and returned to his seat.