"He did it himself, you fool," roared Theodore, defending his lost cause. "So I thought, and I was going out to Japan to kill him. But I know that you were with my mother on that night, for the priest saw you enter the house by the window. You tapped there, and my mother let you in. The priest was watching the house, as he fancied the emerald might be there. He got on to the balcony and peeped through the window. He saw you struggle with my mother, you brute, and stab her. Then you left the room and hunted the house for the emerald. When you came out the priest, thinking you might have it, waited at the gate and tried to seize you. You escaped and he lost you in the fog. But he retained hold of the white silk scarf you wore round your throat. It is here." Pentreddle took a folded square of silk from his pocket and shook it out. "Your name is in the corner, your name in full, hang you! Look, Squire! look!" And Harry, his hands shaking with emotion, pointed out the name "Theodore Dane" marked on the silk, with blue thread. "You see, sir. He is guilty." "Oh!" the Squire groaned, as he saw the evidence of his nephew's wickedness, and he laid the emerald on the table so that he could the more easily cover his face with his hands "It's terrible--terrible. That one of my blood should be an assassin! That one of my blood should be hanged!" "Oh, he won't be hanged!" said Harry, refolding the silk scarf and replacing it in his pocket. "I am going to leave him to Akira." "What--what do you mean?" quavered Theodore, with sudden terror. The young sailor walked over to him and looked into his face. "Akira told me that he would attend to your punishment. What he means I don't know. But what I _do_ know is that these Japanese can make things very unpleasant for you. I have heard of their ingenuity in torturing." "Torturing!" Theodore shrieked. "Yes. Hanging's too good for you, beast that you are." "Oh, Harry, don't--don't let Akira get hold of me!" screamed Dane, all his nerve broken down. "The law won't let him; the law won't let him!" "He won't trouble about the law. He will send sailors ashore this very night and have you taken on board his yacht. When you are on the high seas he'll deal with you." "No! no!" Theodore tried to kiss the man's foot and rolled over to do so. Harry spurned him. "You worse than devil, try and be a man. You murdered a poor, weak woman and now you're frightened of your skin. Beast!" Outside the wind had risen to wild fury. The whole house was shaken by the gusts which came howling from the bay. Harry strode to the window and looked out. He saw by the swaying of the festival lights that _The Miko_ was dragging at her moorings. There was no time to be lost, if he wanted to carry out his promise to the Count. Colpster was lying limply on the sofa, while Theodore moaned and groaned on the floor. On the small table beside the sofa gleamed the emerald which had brought about all the trouble.