ed on some belated
counsel who came tip-toeing into his court, went on.

"Now," he said, "there were certain similarities in these two murders
which lead to the supposition that, far apart as they were, they were
the work of a gang, working with common purpose. There was no robbery
from the person in either instance, though each victim had money and
valuables on him to a considerable amount. But each man had been
searched. Pockets had been turned out--clothing ripped up. In the case
of Salter Quick, we are familiar with the details of the tobacco-box,
on the inner lid of which there was a roughly-scratched plan of some
place, and of the handkerchief bearing a monogram which Mr. Cazalette
discovered near the scene of the murder. These are details--of great
importance--the true significance of which does not yet appear. But
the real, prime detail is the curious, mysterious connection between
the name Netherfield, which Salter Quick was so anxious to find on
gravestones in some Northumbrian churchyard or other, and the man of
that name who was with him on the _Elizabeth Robinson_. And we are at
once faced with the question--was the man, Netherfield Baxter, who
left Blyth some years ago, the man Netherfield, described as of Blyth,
whose name was on the _Elizabeth Robinson's_ list?"

Mr. Raven treated us to one of his characteristic sniffs. He had a
way, when he was stating what he considered to be a dead certainty, or
when he was assenting to one, of throwing up his head and sniffing,
with a somewhat cynical smile as accompaniment. He sniffed now, and
Lorrimore went on--to a peroration.

"There can be no doubt about it!" he said with emphasis. "A Blyth man,
a seafarer, named Solomon Fish, chances to be in Hull and, in a tavern
there which is evidently the resort of seafaring folk, sees a man whom
he instantly recognizes as Netherfield Baxter, whom he had known as
child, boy and young man. He accosts him--the man denies it. We need
pay no attention whatever to that denial: we may be quite sure from
the testimony of Fish that the man is Baxter. Now then, what is Baxter
doing? He is evidently in possession of ample funds--he and his
companions buy a small vessel, a twenty-ton yawl, in which, they said,
they want to cross the North Sea to the Norwegian fiords. And who are
his companions? One is a Chinaman. Probably Lo Chuh Fen. The other is
a Frenchman, who, says Mr. Jallanby, the Hull ship-broker, was
addressed as Vicomte.