CHAPTER XIII

ARRESTED

When Jack Finland came, in answer to Johnson's invitation, he little knew the kind of reception that awaited him. He entered the study with an alert step, but the merry expression quickly faded from his face when he recognized Mr. Moss. Nor was the presence of Slade--even though in plain clothes--and his superior officer, in any way reassuring.

"That'th the gent ath thold the pearlth," lisped Mr. Moss, pointing a diamond-ringed finger at the new-comer.

"Oh! this is the gentleman, is it?" said Inspector Chard, blandly. "Come in, Mr. Finland; you are just in time."

"For what?" asked Jack, making a fight for it. He saw that he was in a trap, and, anxious to get out of it, glanced at window and door. But Chard blocked the one, Slade the other. There was nothing for it, as Finland quickly saw, but to make a bold stand and face the thing out if possible. "For what?" said he, looking calmly at the unfriendly faces before him. He felt it was well to know exactly how things stood before committing himself in any way.

"About those lost pearls for one thing," growled Slade, "and that girl's murder for t'other."

"What have I to do with either?"

"I know nothing about any murder," said Moss; "but you are the gent ath thold me the pearlth. I gave you two thouthand poundth for them. Come now, that'th tho, ain't it?"

"I'm blest if I understand what you're talking about," retorted Finland; "clap a tackle on your jaw, you measly Hebrew."

"Abuse won't do, Finland," struck in Chard; "you had better keep a curb on your tongue. It's always best to come quietly."

"You daren't arrest me!"

"That is my intention, as soon as I can get a warrant. In the mean time, I'm not likely to lose sight of you, my fine fellow."

"What's your charge?"

"Murder!"

"Whose murder?"

"The murder of a Polynesian girl called Tera, or Bithiah."

"It's a lie!" cried Finland, violently. "I never killed the poor girl. I loved her too well to lay a finger on her."

Johnson, who had remained silent till now, turned to the sailor.

"Unhappy man," he said solemnly, "do not add falsehood to your sins of murder and theft. Tera left this house with the pearls, and when her dead body was found the pearls were gone. Your captain, Shackel, came to blackmail me for----"

"What, Shackel?" cried Jack, savagely; "the blamed old shellback."

"Yes; Captain Jacob declared that I had sold the pearls in London. He demanded five hundred pounds as the price of his silence. I declined to compound a felony, and at once informed Slade, here, of the man's threat. Slade went to London for the purpose of seeing this gentleman to whom the pearls had been sold, and----"

"Yes, I did that," said the constable, excitedly, cutting the minister short, "and I called on Mr. Moss. His description of the seller applied so exactly to you that I wrote to Mr. Johnson, asking him to get you to come here that we might confront you with Moss."

"S'elp me, that'th ath true ath taxeth," said Moss, "and thith polithman, he took me from my buthiness to identify you by thaying ath he'd run me in for rethieving thtolen goodth. How did I know you'd thtolen the pearlth, you beatht? You thaid your name wath Brown, and you'd brought the pearlth with you from the Thouth Theath. You got my money--yeth, two thouthandth poundth. Give it back to me, and pay me for coming all thith way to pick you out. Thith buthiness will ruin me."

"I also was informed of the matter by Mr. Johnson," chimed in Chard, "so I am here, you see, to take part in your reception. I had my suspicions about you--they were well founded it seems."

"You think so," retorted Finland, "but you're a long way out, let me tell you. I never put a hand on the girl."

"Then how did you come by the pearls?"

"Shan't tell you; mind your own business."

"That's just what both of us is about to do," said Slade, forgetting for the moment the presence of his superior officer. "Mr. Inspector will keep you here, and I'm off to get a warrant for your arrest. Mr. Moss will come with me." Small matters such as that of precedence did not exist for the ambitious Slade at this juncture.

"Mither Moth will; but I hope Mither Moth will be paid for all thith trouble. It'th ruin to leave one'th buthineth like thith. If I have to give back thothe pearlth I mutht have my money back."

"We'll attend to all that," said Slade, taking the Jew's arm.

"As to getting your money back, I'm afraid that won't be so easy, Mr. Moss," said Chard. "Since I received the intelligence of Finland's guilt, I have been making inquiries, and I find he is part owner of the schooner lying out in the bay yonder. I expect he spent the money in buying her."

"Oh, you thwindler!" cried the excited Hebrew, "ith thith tho?"

"Half the _Dayspring_ is mine," admitted Jack, sulkily; "but I'm not going to tell you where I got the money to buy her."

"I'll put in an ecthecuthion, I will. I'll levy it mythelf on board the ship."

"If you do that, Captain Jacob will sling you overboard."

"I'll take a conthtable with me. I will have my money," screeched the irate Shylock.

"Now, come along, please; we must get this warrant," said Slade, taking the arm of Mr. Moss, and pulling him out of the room.

Left alone with Johnson and Chard, the sailor made no attempt to leave. He sat down with a sulky expression on his face, and betrayed not the least concern. It would seem that he was not fully alive to the danger of his position. Chard looked at him with bland satisfaction.

"You had better make a clean breast of it, my man," said he.

Jack scowled at him, and rudely turned his chair so as to face the minister.

"Mr. Johnson," he said quietly, "you are an honest man amongst these land sharks, and I can trust you. I seem to be in a tight place, but I swear that I am as innocent as an unborn babe. Shackel can prove my innocence; so I ask you to take a note to him from me."

Johnson, who had no love for Shackel after the way in which the little scoundrel had tried to blackmail him, would have refused; but Chard, at Finland's back, made a sign to him to accept the trust. The inspector thought that Jack was about to write to Shackel, asking him to destroy some evidence which might implicate him still further in the crime. At all events, he thought the letter would probably prove of some value, directly or indirectly. He was glad, therefore, when Johnson, understanding his signal, acceded to Finland's request.

"Certainly, I will deliver your note," said the minister, gravely. "I only hope you will be able to free yourself from this critical position."

"Do you believe I killed Tera?"

"If you sold the pearls, it certainly looks very like it," replied Johnson, "seeing that they were taken from her dead body. Yet, as I know you loved the girl, and she was willing to give you both herself and her pearls, I confess that I have my doubts as to your guilt. Besides, I honestly admit that I do not think you are a bad man. Frivolous and godless and profligate no doubt you are, but far from being a murderer. No, Mr. Finland, black as are appearances against you, I cannot bring myself to believe in your guilt."

Jack looked at the minister with a friendly smile, and stretched out a large brown hand.

"You're a white man," said he, coolly; "I'll take more stock in your piety when I'm out of this fix. Shake."

The minister hesitated, for although he really did believe in the young sailor's innocence, yet the man had been his rival, and he found it difficult to be on easy terms with him. However, his better nature prevailed, and he shook hands.

"That heartens me up a lot," said Jack, cheerfully; "there is balm in Gilead, after all, as Rachel says. Now I'll score a line to that blamed old idiot who has caused all this breeze."

"Who is that?" asked Chard. Finland looked at him again, ignored him completely, and in silence sat down in the chair before the desk, vacated by the minister. Chard kept his eyes on him, and smiled at the foolish manner in which the man was giving himself away. Honestly speaking, he had no ill-will towards Jack, but the insolent behaviour of the sailor was not without its effect, and he determined when the warrant came to spare him in no way.

That Finland might be innocent, the inspector did not consider at all. He had sold the pearls, as was proved plainly by the evidence of Moss; and he could only have taken them from the dead body. The man's coolness amazed him; for Jack scribbled away at his note quite nonchalantly, utterly indifferent to the sword of Damocles which swung over his head. Chard marvelled what defence he could have in his mind to make.

Johnson looked out of the window. He also was puzzled by the behaviour of Finland. On the face of the evidence against him it was impossible to doubt his complicity. Yet the minister could in no way divine the man's motive for murder. He could have had the pearls for the asking; there was no need for him to kill the poor girl. Moreover, Finland had loved her dearly; and it was incredible that for any cause he could have killed her. Yet he had sold the pearls. There could be no doubt about that; and he was the nephew of the man in whose field the body had been so skilfully hidden. How to reconcile these conflicting elements, Johnson could not see. He was still puzzling the matter out in his own mind, when Jack finished his letter with a cheery laugh.

"You'll laugh on the other side of your mouth soon," said Chard, testily.

"I guess that's my biz," retorted Finland, addressing the inspector for the first time. "'Taint my habit to squeal afore I'm hurt. Mr. Johnson, here is the letter. I'll take it kind of you if you'll deliver it to old Ramshackel as soon as you can."

"I'll see to it, Mr. Finland," replied Johnson, slipping the note into his pocket, whither it was followed by Chard with greedy eyes, "And I trust, for your own sake and your uncle's, that you will prove yourself innocent of this fearful charge."

"Well, I don't say as I haven't got an ace somewhere, sir; but it ain't time to plank it down yet. May I smoke?"

"I would if I were you," interposed Chard; "you'll not get tobacco in prison, you know."

"Nor manners either, I guess, if you're to turn the key."

Chard vouchsafed no reply, and the three waited in silence for the return of Slade. In a surprisingly short space of time, considering his errand, the constable returned in uniform with a warrant for Finland's arrest. Now that the worst had come, Jack turned a trifle pale, and slipped his pipe into his pocket with an uneasy laugh. Chard seemed well pleased.

"Take him to the lock-up, Slade," he ordered; "we'll have him up before the magistrate at Poldew to-morrow. I'll remain here; Mr. Johnson and I must have a few words."

"Come on," said Slade, now a typical Jack-in-office. He laid his hand on Finland's collar.

"Don't show off, mate," said Finland, twisting himself free. "I'll go quiet enough. Let's walk arm-in-arm, and then they'll take us for brothers. 'Tain't no use kicking up dust, you know. Good-bye, Mr. Chard; I'll put a spoke in your wheel before this crook is straightened out. Mr. Johnson, you're a square man. I thank you for your kindness. Don't forget to give that letter to the skipper."

"I promise you it shall be delivered this evening."

Jack and Slade departed quite affectionately, arm-in-arm, as the sailor had suggested. Chard waited till they were fairly on their way. Then he turned to the minister peremptorily.

"Now then, sir, that letter, if you please!"

Johnson looked astonished and ill pleased. "The letter is for Captain Shackel, sir."

"Afterwards, perhaps: first it is for me. You don't think I am going to lose a chance of making things safe for this scoundrel's hanging?"

"Finland is not a scoundrel," rejoined Johnson, quietly; "indeed, I begin to think he is perfectly innocent. As to the letter, that remains in my pocket."

"Mr. Johnson, I don't want to be unpleasant," cried Chard, looking ugly, "but I must remind you that I am a police officer. I've a perfect right to see the letter of a man under arrest on a criminal charge; and I must insist upon your handing it over to me."

"Does the law authorize you to read this letter?"

"Yes, sir; it does. If the man were free it would not, but the law permits me to gather all evidence I can in support of the case. That letter may be invaluable. Give it to me, please."

Johnson hesitated. He saw the weakness of his position. He wished to assist Finland, for he believed him to be innocent; moreover, he did not wish, without the strongest reason, to fail in the trust he had undertaken. Still, Chard, as the representative of the law, had right and might on his side. If he did not give up the letter willingly, he would no doubt be forced to. On consideration he decided he could do nothing but yield.

"Here is the letter," said he, taking it from his pocket. "I trust you will deliver it to its address when you have done with it."

"That depends entirely upon the contents," said Chard, grimly. He untwisted the piece of paper. Finland had not put it into an envelope. The reason for this was soon apparent. Chard looked at it carefully, then he swore.

"Mr. Chard," reproved Johnson, "why such language?"

The inspector clapped the letter on the table before Johnson. "Isn't that enough to make a man swear? The rascal has written his letter in cypher."

It ran as follows:--

"Can't you understand it?" asked Johnson, puzzled.

"No; can you?" snapped the inspector, picking up the cypher.

"Not a bit. What will you do now?"

"Take it to the man who does?"

"Who is that?"

"Why," said Chard, coolly, "the man to whom it is written--Captain Shackel. I'll make him read it to me." Then Chard went off.

Left alone, Johnson sighed. "If Finland is innocent," he thought, "I fear we shall never know who killed poor Tera."