rt of that voyage, before I had contrived to leave
the _Lavinia_, of which I shall hereafter tell, my mind was constantly
and continually filled with my troubles, so that they were the first
thing which I remembered in the morning, and the last thing which I
forgot before I fell asleep. But that which puzzled me more than
anything else was to account for the mysterious manner in which the Rose
of Paradise had been spirited away from the iron despatch-box, and what
had become of it after it had passed from Mr. White's possession. Of
this I thought and pondered until my brain grew weary.

One night, we being at that time becalmed off the Gulf of Arabia, I sat
upon the poop-deck looking out over the water and into the sky, dusted
all over with an infinite quantity of stars, and with my mind still
moving upon the same old track which it had so often travelled before. I
know not whether it was the refreshing silence which reigned all about
me, but of a sudden it seemed as though the uncertainties which had
beset my mind were removed, and the whole matter stood before me with a
most marvellous clearness. Then I knew, as plain as though it had been
revealed to me, that the only man in the world who either had the Rose
of Paradise in his possession, or knew where it was hidden, was Captain
Edward England.

I do not think that I came to this conclusion through any line of
reasoning, but rather with a sudden leap of thought; but as soon as I
had fairly grasped it I marvelled at the dulness of my understanding,
which should have prevented my perceiving it before; for every single
circumstance that had happened pointed but in one direction, and that
was towards the end which I had but just reached.

It was as plain as the light of day that when Captain Leach went aboard
of the pirate craft on the night of the 21st of July, Captain England
would require him to explain his object in betraying the _Cassandra_
into their hands; and it was equally plain that Leach would have to tell
the truth; for it was not likely that he could deceive such a sharp and
cunning blade as that famous freebooter. I recalled the strange look
which Captain England had given me when he told me that Captain Leach
had been "shot by accident" upon their coming aboard the _Cassandra_;
whereupon, regarding matters from my present stand-point, I felt assured
that England had killed Leach with his own hand, so that with him the
secret of the stone might perish fro