CHAPTER XIV

AN AMAZING INCIDENT

Grimleigh hummed like a hive in the swarming season. Through Slade, via his tattling wife, the news of Finland's arrest was spread with the rapidity of influenza. As usual, rumour increased as a snowball does, and that evening half the town knew how Finland had met Tera by accident near Carwell's field, how he had quarrelled with her, strangled her, and fled with the pearls, to sell them in London and buy a schooner. The circumstantial account was given with a wealth of detail which did credit to the imagination of those who repeated it. But there were some who declined to believe that so popular and genial a man as Jack could be guilty of a cold-blooded crime. The man's whole life gave the lie to it.

Amongst those who refused credence to the accusation was Carwell. The old farmer was greatly agitated by the news of the arrest, and forthwith sought out Chard at Grimleigh police-office, shortly before the inspector departed for Poldew. For the last hour Chard, with the cypher-letter in his pocket, had been seeking Captain Jacob without success. The skipper was not on the schooner, or in the town; and Chard feared he would be forced to postpone the delivery of the letter until next morning. This would be inconvenient, as he was bound to be at Poldew when Finland was brought up--as he would be next day--before the magistrate. But the inspector was determined that no one should deliver the letter but himself, for he intended to force Shackel to translate it. Finally, Chard resolved to take Jack with him to Poldew on that night, and leave Slade behind, with instructions to find and bring on Captain Shackel the next morning. He had just arranged this with Slade when Carwell made his appearance, perturbed and angry.

"What's all this?" demanded the old man, anxiously. "I hear that my nephew has been arrested."

"Quite right, Mr. Carwell. On a charge of murdering the native girl who was a ward of Mr. Johnson's. Tera--Bithiah--you know her name better than I do."

"But it is impossible that Jack killed her. Inspector. He loved the girl--he was prepared to marry her. The charge is ridiculous."

"No doubt," replied Chard, coolly. "I can't myself see his reason for the crime. But we have proof positive that he sold Tera's pearls in London, and bought a share in the _Dayspring_ with the proceeds."

"Jack never told me that! I understood from him that she was the property of Captain Shackel."

"Shackel says differently, Mr. Carwell. He told me himself that your nephew bought a share, and, what is more, paid for it on the nail."

"Impossible! He had not the money."

"Oh yes, he had. Moss declared that Finland got two thousand pounds for the pearls. To obtain them, he killed Tera."

"I don't, I won't believe it!" cried Carwell, growing very red. "Jack is an honest lad, and my own sister's son. If he were guilty he would not return here into the jaws of danger. If he were in funds, he would not want money from me, or risk his liberty and neck to come here for it."

"Oh, so he wants money from you?"

"He does. I see no reason to deny the truth. My nephew came here to ask me for five hundred pounds. He wants that amount to pay seamen's wages and provision the boat for her cruise to the South Seas. If he killed the girl, and sold the pearls for the amount you say, he would not require more."

"But he paid away the proceeds of the pearls for his share in the _Dayspring_."

"He could have purchased a share for less than two thousand. The whole boat could be bought for three. She is of no great tonnage."

Chard looked puzzled. Certainly there was reason in what Carwell said, and Finland's behaviour was most inconsistent.

"I can't understand your nephew, Mr. Carwell," said the inspector. "If he is innocent, why does he not prove his innocence?"

"He will, if you give him a chance."

"I have given him every chance," said Chard, nettled by this imputation cast on his fair dealing. "He refuses to give any explanation. Moreover, if he can exonerate himself, he will have an opportunity of doing so to-morrow morning at Poldew, when he is brought before the magistrate."

"Can I see him now?"

"Certainly. Slade will take you to him. Try and persuade him to tell the truth. If he goes on as he is doing now, he will be committed for trial, and bail will be refused. The crime with which he is charged is serious, remember."

"Jack has committed no crime," said Carwell, hotly. "Let me see him."

Hardly had the old man left the office with Slade when the door was pushed open, and Captain Jacob danced in. The little man was in a furious rage, and his language, was worthy of the occasion. He swore at Chard for quite two minutes without repeating himself, and it was only when he paused for want of breath that the inspector managed to get in a word.

"Come, come," he said, bristling with official dignity, "we can't have this sort of thing here. You must not behave in this way."

"Oh, I mustn't, mustn't I?" screeched Shackel, shaking his fist. "Why, you son of a gun, ain't you run in my mate? How d'ye think I'm going to light out for the Islands without Finland?"

"You'll light out--as you call it--all alone, if Finland can't prove his innocence of this murder."

"Murder! Great Cæsar! he didn't kill the gal!"

"Oh yes, he did, and you know it! See here"--Chard caught the excited man by the arm--"you tried to blackmail Mr. Johnson by stating that he sold these pearls. Now, you knew quite well that Finland sold 'em. What do you mean by this game?"

"You mind your own business, and I'll run my own circus," snarled Jacob.

"Your blackmailing is my business," said Chard, "and you don't go out of here until you explain yourself."

"Shan't explain anything."

"Yes, you will. This letter of Finland's, for instance."

Chard spread out the cypher on the table, and Jacob pounced on it like a hawk. He ran a dirty finger along the mystic line, then turned to the inspector with an injured air. "What's all this bally rot?" he asked. "I don't know. Looks like Chinese, I guess."

"But Finland wrote it for you to read," said Chard, stupefied by this unexpected ignorance.

"Then why the tarnation couldn't he write in English?" snapped the captain. "I can't read hen scratches."

The inspector looked glum. He could not say whether Jacob spoke truly or falsely. It was possible that Finland might be playing a trick and jesting with the dignity of the law. On the other hand, it seemed incredible that one in so serious a position should act in such a way. Chard looked hard at the sallow face of the skipper. Apparently he was speaking the truth. His face was set like a mask. Then a new idea struck Mr. Inspector.

"If you can't read it, some one on board your ship can!" he declared.

"Well, I should smile. D'ye think we carry a university on board?"

"But if Finland had not meant this letter to be read he would not have written it. You know this cypher. Don't lie!"

"I'll knock your head off if you give me the lie," retorted Shackel. "Let me see Finland, and I'll ask him myself what the dickens he means by playing low down on the old man."

"No, you won't see him," said the inspector, sharply. "For all I know, the sight of this cypher may be a signal to bring you together. You may wish to gain instructions from Finland regarding the removal of evidence."

"Me take instructions!" bawled the skipper; "why, cuss you, ain't I a quarter-deck astride. It 'ud be a dandy fine thing for Captain Jacob to obey orders of any second-rate, squawking, swivel-eyed son of a rum-puncheon. Here, gimme that letter and I'll git."

Chard snatched the cypher off the table and put it into his pocket. "No," said he; "if you can't read it, it isn't meant for you."

"Stealing my property now. Lord! I'd like to give you a dozen at the gangway."

"And I'd like to put you in gaol, you blackmailing scoundrel!" cried Chard, hotly; then he became aware it was beneath him to bandy words with this abusive sailor, and resumed his former dignified tone. "Come, come, this will not do," he cried; "you must come to Poldew to-morrow morning and give evidence about your mate and those pearls."

"I can't; and what's more, I shan't."

"Oh yes, I think you can! Since you tried to blackmail Mr. Johnson, you know quite well that Finland sold the pearls; I dare say you know how he got them. For all I know, you may even be an accessory after the fact in this murder. I'll have you watched, mind; so you'd better turn up at Poldew to-morrow."

"Oh, I'll turn up, never you fear!" growled Jacob, in a surly manner. "My log-book's all right, I guess. I don't want no land-shark to square me. And let me tell you," cried Jacob, furiously, "if you send any more blamed Sheeny cusses to board my ship, I'll chuck 'em over--as I did the last 'un."

"Oh," said Chard, laughing, "so Mr. Moss has been on board your boat, has he?"

"For two minutes he was, then I slung him overside to wash. Wanted to put an execution on my barky, the Jerusalem hound."

"He'll have the law of you for that," said the inspector, turning to his papers. "Clear out now, my man, and report yourself at Poldew to-morrow, or it will be the worse for you."

Captain Shackel backed towards the door with an evil grin. "I'll be there, you bet," he snapped, "and you'll have a holy time with me, I can tell you. I've seen a better man than you made out of mud, I have."

By this time Chard's patience was quite exhausted. He caught Jacob in his arms and dropped him outside the door. Then, instructing a constable to keep an eye on him, he re-entered his office. This was the second time the little sea captain's dignity had suffered reversal. He anathematized Chard with horrible fluency. But the inspector was well used to such flowers of speech, and they affected him but little.

Carwell returned to tell of failure. His nephew had been all that was civil and grateful to him, but he refused altogether to make him his confidant. The farmer had begged and commanded, and threatened, but without success. Jack gave him clearly to understand that he had his own way of conducting his own affairs, and that way he intended to pursue. He was not to be drawn at all. So it was that, heavy-hearted and disappointed, Carwell was obliged to leave the lad. After reporting his failure to Chard, he went home in a state of depression. Half an hour later the inspector left Grimleigh with his prisoner, and drove over to Poldew. In truth it had been an exciting day.

For Poldew, too, Johnson set out early next morning on foot. He was particularly anxious to be present when Finland was brought before the magistrate. He still believed in Jack's innocence, but for the life of him he could not understand his reticence. He stepped out briskly into the cool fresh air, his mind full of the case. He had not gone far before he met Pharaoh Lee. He thought of Slade's theory, and determined to say a word or two to the gipsy.

"Good morning, Lee. I'm glad to meet you," he said gravely. "I particularly wish to speak to you--about Zara."

"Have you news of her, rye?"

"No; but I have been talking to Slade, the policeman, about her."

"Ah, he knows something for sure. Is she with him? Is he her husband? Was it he took her away from me? Speak, rye, speak."

Johnson shook his head. "Slade is married to another woman," he said slowly; "but he thinks that Zara was in love with a man named Jack Finland."

"What, rye? With the Gentile who killed your lady? I have heard talk of him."

"We are not yet able to say if Finland killed my ward, Lee. We have no right, because he stands accused of such a crime, to judge him guilty of it until he has had a fair chance of proving his innocence. He is to be examined at Poldew to-day; in fact, I am now on my way there to be present at his examination. Whether Slade has changed his mind in the mean while, I cannot say; but a day or two back he suspected Zara of this murder!"

"I'll wring his neck for him if he dares to say that," cried Pharaoh in his wrath. "Job! how does he make it out?"

"Oh, he has evidence to go upon, you may depend." Then the minister related to him Slade's discovery of the ear-ring, and the deductions he had drawn from it. He mentioned, too, that Finland had sold the pearls. "Now, it would seem," continued Johnson, "that Zara, on the evidence of the ear-ring, killed Bithiah out of jealousy, robbed her dead body of the pearls, and gave them to Finland to dispose of in London. For all we know, he may have returned here to take Zara off to the South Seas, in the schooner which he bought with the money."

"Do you believe this, rye?"

"No, frankly, I don't. I believe that the ear-ring belonged to Miss Arnott, and that she lost it during her quarrel with Bithiah. It was probably dropped in the field by the poor girl herself when she struggled with her assailant. As to Finland, notwithstanding his disposal of the pearls, I cannot make up my mind to believe him guilty of murder."

"Who knows, rye? A man will do much for a woman's sake. If this sailor loved Zara----"

"He did not. He loved Bithiah!"

Pharaoh deliberated for a moment. "I will go with you to Poldew, rye," he said. "It is necessary that I should hear the truth."

"So be it, Lee; let us hope that is what we shall hear."

They continued their way in silence; neither was inclined to speak.

It was late when they arrived, and the court house was already crowded. Johnson's garb and the knowledge of his connection with the dead girl obtained him entrance, and Lee pushing close after him, they managed to secure a very good position both for seeing and hearing. Jack was already under examination before the magistrate, an elderly gentleman with a professionally bland manner. The prisoner appeared cool and composed. He was apparently not the least perturbed at the position in which he found himself. Many of the Grimleigh folk were present, amongst them Carwell and Korah Brand. Everybody was ready for an exciting morning. As it came about, they had cause for no small measure of excitement, though hardly in the direction they had anticipated.

"I am not guilty of this murder," said Finland in a clear voice, "and I will prove my innocence."

As he spoke there was a commotion at the lower end of the court. A man and a woman pushed through the crowd and placed themselves in full view of the assembly. The man was Captain Jacob; the woman, a dark-skinned girl in a faded yellow dress with a tartan shawl. Lee uttered a cry.

"Zara!" he said, as he caught sight of the dress; "it is Zara!"

But he was wrong. It was not Zara, it was Tera!