e murder?"

Hay rose and looked solemn. "I swear I know nothing of that," he said
decidedly, "and the Krills were as astonished as I, when they heard of
the death. They were going to see him by Pash's advice, and Mrs. Krill
was going to prosecute him for bigamy unless he allowed her a good
income. Death put an end to all that, so she made up the story of seeing
the hand-bills, and then of course the will gave the money to Maud, who
was engaged to me."

"The will or what was called a will, gave the money to Sylvia," said
Aurora, emphatically; "but this brooch--you didn't take it?"

"No, I swear I didn't. Mrs. Krill wanted it, but I never knew it was of
any particular importance. Certainly, I would never have risked robbing
Beecot, and I never told that boy Tray to rob either."

"Then who took the brooch."

"I can't say. I have told you all I know."

"Hum," said Aurora, just like her brother, "that will do to-night; but
if I ask any more questions you'll have to answer, so now you can go. By
the way, I suppose the brooch made you stick to Beecot?"

"Yes," said Hay, frankly; "he was of no use to me. But while he had the
brooch I stuck to him to get it for Mrs. Krill."

"Queer," said Aurora. "I wonder why she wanted it so much!" but this
question Hay was unable to answer.

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 deman