ried under the writing, as a sort of _bonne
bouche_; and as matters turned out, never told a soul about it. So,
you see, the man who looted the Talayot could certainly not have
overhauled the Diary, or he would never have left this little red urn
full of gems. I found it where Lully buried it six hundred years ago,
the lid waxed over, and stamped with an alembic and the man's own
family coat of arms. Gad, I wonder where that signet ring's got to
now."

"Never mind that trifle, old chappie. We've got enough of the
gentleman's family jewellery to be able to do without a trumpery gold
ring. It's the rest of the legacy that I've got my covetousness upon
now. Where's that gone to? You didn't happen to inquire of your
farmeress person whether she'd had any other visitors with
archaeological tastes during the last few days?"

"I didn't; but I don't think she knew of any one being about on that
tack, or she'd have told me about it. The woman was garrulousness
personified."

"Still there's no harm in returning there to-morrow and pushing
inquiries a little further."

"Not the least. It stands to reason some one has been inside the
Talayot; and thanks to this island being a small one, with a good
average of inhabitants to the acre, we should, if we push inquiries far
enough, find out who the explorer was and when he went there."

With that we left the subject, and Haigh went on to relate what a day
he'd had with the Juggins before that worthy finally tore himself away
to catch the Mallorca steamer; which topic, being treated with a
humorous touch, kept us in merriment for the rest of the evening.

Next day I lazed, and Haigh, taking his turn on duty, rode down to the
neighbourhood of Talaiti de Talt, and brought back news that mystified
us still further. The good woman who owned the farm knew nothing about
the matter, neither did the ploughman from whom I had bought the
three-angled hoe; but a stonemason in the cemetery above Alayor
reported as follows:--

He had seen three men, strangers, come up the road from Ferreiras and
walk down that towards Alayor. The time was after midnight, and as he
had finished the work which had detained him so long--to wit, opening a
vault for the reception of a fresh tenant on the morrow--he strolled
homewards after them. But as they passed on straight through the town
he got a bit curious, and, keeping out of sight, followed astern, along
the narrow country roads which led to nowhere spec