The Opal Serpent Read online

  CHAPTER XXIII

  WHAT PASH SAID

  In a smoking compartment, which the three had to themselves, Hurdresumed his examination of Tray. They were now on their way to LiverpoolStreet and thence the detective intended to convey the boy to Pash'soffice in Chancery Lane. Paul sat in one corner much excited over theturn events had taken. He began to think that the assassin of AaronNorman would be found after all. More, he believed that Sylvia would yetinherit the five thousand a year she was entitled to, morally, if notlegally. Hurd, in another corner, pulled Tray roughly towards him, andshook his finger in the lad's face. The boy was sulky and defiant, yetthere was a trace of fear in his eyes, and the reason of this Hurdwished to learn.

  "You're a young liar," said Hurd, emphatically, "and not a clever oneeither. Do you think to play the fool with me?"

  "I've tole you all straight," grumbled Tray.

  "No, you haven't. Anyone can see that you've made a mistake. I leave itto Mr. Beecot yonder."

  "I was about to draw your attention to the mistake," said Paul; "youmean the discrepancy in time."

  Master Clump started and became more sulky than ever. He cast down hiscunning eyes and shuffled with his feet while Hurd lectured him. "Youknow well enough," said the detective, sharply, "that the brooch wasboned by you on the very evening when the murder took place. It wasthen that Mr. Beecot met with his accident. Therefore, you could nothave given the brooch to Mr. Pash the _next_ morning, as it had beenused on the previous night."

  "Sha'n't say anythin' more," retorted Tray, defiantly.

  "Oh, won't you?" cried Hurd, ironically, "we'll see about that. You toldthat lie about the time to account for your knowing of the murder beforeanyone else did."

  "No," said Tray, decidedly, "I did go to the shorp in th' mornin'."

  "That you may have done, but not to sell the brooch. Mr. Pash had takenit from you on the previous night."

  "He didn't," denied the boy.

  "Then in that case you've told a lie. Pash never had the brooch, and hasnothing to do with the murder."

  "He _did_ prig the brooch from me, and he _did_ kill the ole cove."

  "Well, we'll see what Mr. Pash will say when you accuse him," said Hurd;"but I don't believe one word of it. It's my opinion that you gave thatbrooch to a third party on the same evening as you stole it. Now, then,who did you give it to?"

  "Mr. Pash," persisted Tray.

  "On the same evening?"

  There was no reply to this. Tray set his lips firmly and refused tospeak. Hurd shook an admonitory finger again. "You can't play fast andloose with me, my lad," he said grimly; "if you didn't part with thatbrooch, you must be mixed up in the crime yourself. Perhaps you pinnedthe poor wretch's mouth together. It's just the sort of cruel thing ayoung Cain like you would do."

  "I didn't," said Master Clump, doggedly; "you take me to master, andI'll tell him what I tells you. He's the one."

  Hurd shook the boy to make him talk more, but Tray simply threw himselfon the floor of the carriage and howled. The detective therefore pickedhim up and flung him into a corner. "You stop there, you littleruffian," he said, seriously annoyed at the boy's recalcitrants; "we'llspeak again when we are in Mr. Pash's office." So Tray curled up on thecushion, looked savagely at the detective and held his tongue.

  "What do you think will be the end of all this?" asked Paul, when MasterClump was thus disposed of.

  "Lord knows," replied Hurd, wiping his face. "I never had a harder caseto deal with. I thought Hay had a hand in it, but it seems he hadn't,bad lot as he is, asking your pardon, Mr. Beecot, since you're hisfriend."

  "That I am not," disclaimed Beecot, emphatically; "there's a younglawyer I know, Ford is his name. I went to see him as to what chancesSylvia had of getting the money. He was at school with me, andremembered Hay. He said that Hay was dismissed from Torrington Schoolfor stealing."

  "Didn't you know that yourself."

  "No, I had left the school--I was ill at home with scarlet fever. ButHay apparently always has been a bad lot. He and that Krill pair arewell matched, for I believe the mother is bad, even if the daughter Maudisn't. By the way her age--?"

  Hurd nodded. "I believe she was fifteen at the time of the death of LadyRachel. If so, she can't be legitimate or may not be the daughter ofAaron Norman. However, I've asked my sister to look up Mrs. Krill's pastlife in Stowley, where she comes from."

  "But she wasn't married to Krill at Stowley?"

  "No. But she lived there as Anne Tyler. From the certificate she wasmarried to Krill at a small parish church twenty miles from Stowley, soAurora will go there. But I want her to stop at Stowley first and learnall she can about Anne Tyler."

  "Beechill's the name of the parish in which she was married to Krillbefore she came to Christchurch," said Paul, musingly, "so I expect theylived there. Miss Qian might search also for the certificate of MaudKrill's birth."

  "I told her to, and, failing that, she's to search in Christchurch. Wemust get the certificate of birth somehow."

  "Hurd," said Paul, rather diffidently, "I hope you won't be annoyed, butI have already asked my friend Ford to give notice to Pash to producethe certificate."

  "Well," replied the detective, "you might have told me; but no greatharm is done. What does Pash say?"

  "I don't know. Ford has not let me know yet. Here we are."

  This remark was caused by the stopping of the train at Liverpool StreetStation. A number of people were returning from their employment in thecity to the country, and the platforms were crowded. Hurd grasped MasterClump by the arm and marched him along. But in the confusion of findinghis ticket at the barrier, he happened to let go, almost withoutthinking. In a moment Tray had darted through the barrier and was lostin the crowd. Hurd sprang after him, and left Paul to explain. Hehurriedly did so, and then went out to see if the detective had caughtthe boy.

  Hurd was nowhere to be seen, neither was Tray. The crowd was increasingthick, and Beecot was at a loss what to do. After waiting for an hourwithout finding the pair, he thought he would go to Pash's office. Itmight be that Hurd, having caught Tray, would take him there at once,leaving Beecot to follow. So Paul got on to the metropolitan railway andalighted at the Temple Station. Thence he walked up to the office inChancery Lane.

  "Where's Tray?" asked Paul, of the one clerk in the outer room, who waswriting for dear life.

  "I don't know, sir," said the clerk; "he went out this morning andhasn't been back all day. Mr. Pash is very angry with him."

  Apparently Hurd had not caught the boy yet, or if he had, did not intendto bring him to the office. "Can I see Mr. Pash?" asked Paul, thinkinghe might as well make some use of his time.

  The clerk inquired if the solicitor would see Beecot, and presentlyushered him into the inner room, where Pash sat looking more like amonkey than ever. He did not appear at all pleased to see the young 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 achair. "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 toyour 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 ofCheapside to produce the certificate of birth of Miss Krill. What is themeaning of that?"

  "I think you know very well, Mr. Pash."

  "I profess my ignorance," said Pash, ironically, although he lookeduneasy, 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 mo
ney."

  "Wait till you hear from Mr. Ford," retorted Paul again, and enjoyed thebaffled expression on Mr. Pash's wrinkled face. "By the way, sir, whydid you not tell Hurd that Tray gave you the opal brooch?"

  Pash turned all the colors of the rainbow. "Does that brat I took intomy office out of charity dare to say that he did."

  "He does, and what is more, Mr. Hurd is bringing him here to make thestatement, face to face with you. I am determined to get to the bottomof this case, sir, for Miss Norman's sake. And the possession of thebrooch forms an important link."

  "How so?"

  "The person who had that brooch on the evening of the sixth of Julymurdered Norman," said Paul, calmly.

  Pash jumped up and chattered like a baboon in a rage. "Do you mean toaccuse 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 convinceHurd. Tray accuses you, and Hurd suspects you. I have nothing to do withthe 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'tyou 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 shrugged his shoulders and rose to go. "Perhaps Mr. Hurd willexplain," he said, and made for the door.

  Pash, with his monkey face much perplexed, sat hunched in his chair,biting his fingers. As Paul laid his hand on the knob, he called himback. "I can explain," he said nervously.

  "Not to me," said Paul, coldly.

  "I prefer to do so to you," said the lawyer, hurriedly.

  "Why to me particularly."

  "Because I don't think I have acted very well towards Miss Norman, and,as you are to marry her, you may be able to arrange--"

  "To make peace I suppose you mean," burst out Beecot; "no, Mr. Pash, youhave acted like a scoundrel. You left that poor girl in the lurch assoon as you found that Miss Krill was--as you thought--legally entitledto the money."

  "What do you mean by hinting she isn't?"

  "Because you know very well what her age is," retorted Paul. "Thismatter will be shifted to the bottom, Mr. Pash, by my friend Ford, andif things are as I think they are, Miss Krill won't keep that money. Youknow very well--"

  "Miss Norman won't get the money either," snarled Pash, "I know thatvery well. Leastways," he added, "without my assistance."

  "More of your crooked ways," said Paul, indignantly. "Tell what you liketo Hurd. I refuse to listen."

  As he spoke he opened the door and found himself facing Hurd who was redand hot. The detective stepped into the office, and as he passed Paul,whispered, "Hold your tongue about the boy," then he turned to Mr. Pash."Well, sir," he puffed, "I have had a job catching up Mr. Beecot. Nodoubt you know why I have come?"

  "No," said Pash, dryly; "I don't see Tray."

  "Tray will keep. I've got him safe under lock and key. Before bringingyou face to face with him I thought it best to give you an opportunityof clearing yourself."

  "Of what?" asked Pash, in a brazen manner.

  Hurd looked at Beecot who spoke. "Mr. Pash knows very well that Trayaccuses him of the crime," he said. "I told him so, and he professed hisreadiness to explain to you."

  "Ah," said Hurd, "shut the door, Mr. Beecot. No need to let all Londonknow the truth."

  "_I_ don't know it," said Pash, as Paul closed the door and returned tohis seat.

  "Very good," rejoined the detective, calmly, "we'll assume for the sakeof argument that you did not strangle Norman."

  "That I certainly did not."

  "Then you know who did. Come, sir," Hurd became stern; "this boy Traysays he gave the opal brooch to you. And I believe he did. You would nothave taken him into your office--a boy off the streets, and with a badcharacter at that--unless you wanted to bribe him to hold his tongue."

  "I had no need to bribe," said Pash, gnawing his finger nails and rathercowed by this direct attack. "The boy _did_ show me the opal brooch, andI took it from him to return to Norman."

  "When did you receive it?" asked Hurd, pulling out his book. "Becareful, Mr. Pash, I'll take down what you say."

  "I have nothing to conceal," said Pash, in quite an unnecessarilyinjured manner. "I had employed the boy on several errands, and he knewI was Norman's lawyer. On the evening of the sixth of July--"

  "And the evening of the murder," said Hurd; "are you sure?"

  "I'll take my oath on it. The boy told me that Mr. Beecot had met withan accident and that a blue velvet case containing a brooch had fallenout of his pocket."

  "It was stolen," said Beecot, hastily.

  "Tray was not such a fool as to tell me that," replied the lawyer,dryly; "he said that he picked the case up out of the mud, and took ithome to his garret. His grandmother, who is a notorious thief, wanted toget it, and pawn it for drink, but Tray ran away with it and came to meabout five o'clock. He gave me the brooch and asked me to take charge ofit, as he expected to get money for it from Aaron Norman who wanted it."

  "Tray overheard my conversation with Norman," said Paul, angrily, "andknew the brooch was mine--so did you, Mr. Pash."

  "Well," said the solicitor, coolly, "what of that? Norman was my clientand wanted the brooch. I intended to keep it and then see you, so that asale might be arranged. Norman spoke to me about the brooch severaltimes and wanted it for reasons you may not know."

  "Oh, yes, we know," said Hurd, sardonically; "we know much more than yougive us credit for, Mr. Pash. Well, you saw Norman about the jewel laterthat evening. I suppose you intend to tell us you gave him the broochthen."

  "I intend to tell nothing of the sort," retorted Pash, after a fewmoments' thought. "I see that things are coming to a crisis, and I wouldlike to see Miss Norman reinstated in her rights."

  "Oh," said Paul, indignantly, "and you did your best to give the moneyto Maud Krill!"

  "Because I believed she was legally entitled to it," explained Pash,lamely; "but since--no," he broke off, "I'll say nothing just now. Ialone can put the matter right, and I refuse to do so unless I have MissNorman's promise that I shall keep the business."

  Paul would have refused then and there, but Hurd, more astute,interrupted his angry speech. "We'll see about that later, Mr. Pash," hesaid, soothingly; "meanwhile, what did you do with the brooch?"

  "I laid it on the table there. The case was open, as I had been lookingat it. I sent Tray out of the room and attended to my usual business.Several clients came and went, and I forgot about the opal serpent. ThenI went to see my clerk outside about a deed. I was with him for someminutes. When I recollected the brooch before I went home--for Iintended to take it with me--"

  "Stop," interrupted Hurd, "you were here till Aaron Norman came alongwith the jewels, so you must have missed the brooch before he came or hewould have taken it, seeing it was exposed on the table."

  "My esteemed client did not come till seven," said Pash, annoyed atbeing detected in trickery. "He walked about with the bags of jewels forsome time, not being able to make up his mind to give them to me, whichhe did for safe keeping."

  "Then he expected a visit from his wife?"

  "I can't say," said the solicitor, with an air of fatigue. "He certainlyhinted that he wanted the jewels placed away safely in case someoneconnected with the opal brooch should come."

  "Perhaps Captain Jessop, who did come," said Paul, suddenly.

  "He didn't mention the name of Jessop," snapped Pash. "Had he hinted ata sailor I would have known who my nautical visitor was."

  "We know all about that," said Hurd, waving his hand; "But if Normancame to you at seven, how did you manage to prevent him meeting his wifein this office?"

  "Oh, she was--What do you mean?" asked Pash, breaking off, and consciousthat he was letting slip something he had rather had not been know
n.

  Hurd saw the slip and Pash's confusion and at once made every use of theopportunity. In fact, he played a game of bluff. Shaking his finger heapproached the little lawyer. "Do you think I come here unprepared?" heasked, solemnly; "do you think I have not been to 'The Red Pig' atChristchurch and learned that Mrs. Krill knew of her husband'swhereabouts, through Hay, long before the day she came to you with thelying story about the hand-bills? Hay has confessed his share in thebusiness of a false introduction to throw Mr. Beecot off the scent,seeing that he was defending Miss Norman's interests. Do you think Idon't know that this woman Krill came to see you, through Hay, whoselawyer you are? She was here on that fatal evening," said Hurd, making abold shot, "how did you prevent her seeing Norman?"

  Pash was completely thrown off his balance by this volley of languageand presumption of knowledge. "Mrs. Krill left at six," he gasped,backing to the wall.

  "And carried off the brooch?"

  "I'm not sure--I can't say--I _did_ miss the brooch--"

  "After Mrs. Krill left?"

  "No, when Norman came. I intended to show him the brooch and found itgone."

  "Mrs. Krill left at six. Between six and seven did any other client comeinto the office?"

  "Yes--no--I can't say. Well," Pash broke down in despair seeing that hislies were not believed, "I think Mrs. Krill did steal the brooch."

  "Quite so, and murdered her husband!" Hurd went to the door and tookBeecot's arm. "I only hope you won't be brought up as an accessorybefore the fact, Mr. Pash," and disregarding the lawyer's exclamationshe dragged Paul outside. In Chancery Lane he spoke. "I've bluffed himfine," he said, "that boy is lost. Can't see him anywhere. But we'regetting at the truth at last."