ng 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 shrug