e neck to the bedpost--that she had committed suicide.
Mrs. Krill, as I said, declared the deceased lady never mentioned the
idea of making away with herself. However, Krill's flight and the chance
that, being drunk, he might have strangled the lady for the sake of the
brooch while out of the room, made many think he was the culprit,
especially as Jessop said that Krill had noticed the brooch and
commented on the opals."

"He was a traveller in jewels once, according to his wife."

"Yes, and left that to turn innkeeper. Afterwards he vanished, as I say,
and became a pawnbroker in Gwynne Street. Well, the jury at the inquest
could not agree. Some thought Lady Rachel had committed suicide, and
others that Krill had murdered her. Then the family didn't want a
scandal, so in one way and another the matter was hushed up. The jury
brought in a verdict of suicide by a majority of one, so you can see how
equally they were divided. Lady Rachel's body was laid in the family
vault, and nothing more was heard of Lemuel Krill."

"What did Mrs. Krill do?"

"She stopped on at the inn, as she told you. People were sorry for her
and helped her, so she did very well. Mother and daughter have lived at
'The Red Pig' all these years, highly respected, until they saw the
hand-bills about Krill. Then the money was claimed, but as the
circumstance of Lady Rachel's fate was so old, nobody thought of
mentioning it till this young lord did so to you, and I--as you
see--have hunted out the details."

"What is your opinion, Hurd?" asked Paul, deeply interested.

"Oh, I think Krill murdered the woman and then cut to London. That
accounts for his looking over his shoulder, etc., about which we
talked."

"But how did he get money to start as a bookseller? Premises are not
leased in Gwynne Street for nothing."

"Well, he might have got money on the brooch."

"No. The brooch was pawned by a nautical gentleman." Paul started up.
"Captain Jessop, perhaps. You remember?" he said excitedly.

"Ah," said Hurd, puffing his pipe with satisfaction, "I see you
understand. I mentioned that about the brooch to hear what you would
say. Yes, Jessop must have pawned the brooch at Stowley, and it must
have been Jessop who came with the note for the jewels to Pash."

"Ha," said Paul, walking excitedly about the room. "Then it would seem
that Jessop and Krill were in league?"

"I think so," said Hurd, staring at the fire. "And yet I am not sure.
Jessop may