g for you," he
said, greeting Paul in his usual self-contained manner; "it worries me
to think you are so hard-up, though I'm not a fellow given to sentiment
as a rule. Let me lend you a fiver."

Paul shook his head. "Thank you all the same."

"Well, then, sell me the brooch."

Beecot suddenly looked squarely at Hay, who met his gaze calmly. "Do you
know anything of that brooch?" he asked.

"What do you mean? It is a brooch of Indian workmanship. That is all I
know. I want to give a lady a present, and if you will sell it to me
I'll take it, to help you, thus killing two birds at one shot."

"I don't want to sell it," said Paul, looking round. His eyes fell on a
respectable man across the road, who appeared to be a workman, as he had
a bag of tools on his shoulder. He was looking into a shop window, but
also--as Paul suddenly thought--seemed to be observing him and Hay.
However, the incident was not worth noticing, so he continued his
speech to Grexon. "I tried to pawn it with Aaron Norman," he said.

"Well, what did you get on it?" asked Hay, with a yawn.

"Nothing. The old man fainted when I showed him the brooch. That is why
I asked you if you know anything strange about the article."

Hay shook his head, but looked curiously at Beecot. "Do you know
anything yourself?" he asked; "you seem to have something on your mind
about that brooch."

"There is something queer about it," said Paul. "Why should Aaron Norman
faint when he saw it?"

Hay yawned again. "You had better ask your one-eyed friend--I think you
said he was one-eyed."

"He is, and a frightened sort of man. But there's nothing about that
opal serpent to make him faint."

"Perhaps he did so because it is in the shape of a serpent," suggested
Grexon; "a constitutional failing, perhaps. Some people hate cats and
other fluttering birds. Your one-eyed friend may have a loathing of
snakes and can't bear to see the representation of one."

"It might be that," said Beecot, after a pause. "Aaron is a strange sort
of chap. A man with a past, I should say."

"You make me curious," said Grexon, laughing in a bored manner. "I think
I'll go to the shop myself and have a look at him."

"Come with me when I next go," said Paul. "I had intended to call this
afternoon; but I won't, until I hear from my mother."

"What about?"

"I want to learn how she came into possession of the brooch."

"Pooh, nonsense," said Hay, contemptuously, "you think too much ab