the term; for I
found myself continually getting up, and Marston as often pulling me
down again into my chair.

"Am I to speak, or is Middleton?" said Charles at last, in despair. "I
will do a solo, or I will keep silence; but really I am unequal to a
duet."

"Sir George," said Marston, "will you have the goodness to desire
Colonel Middleton to be silent, or to leave the room till Charles has
finished his story?"

I was justly annoyed at Marston's manner of speaking of me, but as I had
no intention to leave the room and miss what was going on, I merely
bowed in answer to a civil request from Sir George, and took up an
attitude of dignified silence. I felt that I had done my part in
vindicating my friend; and after all, no one, evidently, was accustomed
to believe what Charles said.

"As I was saying," he continued, "I suspected Carr from the first. I did
not like the look of him, and I purposely pumped Middleton about him
last night at supper."

I nearly burst out at the bare idea of Charles daring to say he had
pumped me; but, as will be seen, he could twist anything that was said
to such an extent that it was perfectly useless to contradict him any
longer. I said not a single word, and he went on:

"All Middleton told me confirmed me in my suspicions. Sir John had been
murdered the night before Middleton sailed for England, a whisper of the
jewels having no doubt gone abroad. Carr came on board next day, and
made friends with Middleton. Whether he had anything to do with the
murder or not, God knows! but he found out--nay, Middleton openly told
him--that he had jewels of great value in his possession, which he
carried about on his person. Carr was the only person aware of that
fact. What follows? Carr has Middleton's address in London. Middleton
goes to the house, and finds that his sister has moved to the next
street. That house to which he first went is broken into, and the poor
woman in it is murdered, or dies of fright that same night. I mention
this as coincidence number one. The following evening Middleton, having
by chance left the jewels at home, dines, and goes to the theatre by
appointment with Carr. Unique cab accident occurs, in which Middleton is
knocked on the head and rendered unconscious. Coincidence number two.
Miss Middleton's house is broken into that same night on Middleton's
return to it. Coincidence number three. When I put all this together
last night, remembering that Carr, by Middleton