"I'm certain they have not," said Pentreddle emphatically. "Mr. Theodore was tied up, and the last I saw of the Squire he was at the window cursing me for taking away the Mikado Jewel." "Ah, yes! You brought that away with you!" Akira held out his hand. Harry produced the Jewel, which he had thrust carelessly into his pocket after his glimpse of it on the launch. "They all fell on their faces," he told the Japanese. Akira smiled in a peculiar manner. "No wonder, when they saw the might of the Earth-Spirit." "What do you mean exactly, sir?" asked the sailor, quite puzzled. The Count handled the Jewel reverently, and producing a sandal-wood box, carefully wrapped up the emerald and its jade setting in fine silk before placing it therein. "I mean that this jewel holds the power of the Earth-Spirit, and pulled down the cliff on those who had to be punished," was his remark, as he locked the box and put it away safely. "Is this the punishment you intended for Mr. Theodore for murdering my mother?" asked Pentreddle, with a faltering voice. "Yes. Are you not satisfied?" "I thought you would have taken him on board and tortured him." Akira drew himself to his full height, which was not very great. Still in his indignation he contrived to look quite imperial. "I am a Japanese gentleman and do not torture anyone. I knew that the cliff would fall as soon as you left the house, and that those behind would be crushed." "But how could you make the cliff fall?" persisted Harry. "The Earth-Spirit brought the fall about through its power stored in the Jewel of Go Yojo. Do you understand?" "No," said the bluff sailor, frankly bewildered. "Well, then, I can explain no more. You must take it that there was an accident owing to the late rains. The earth fell for that reason. But you are revenged on your enemy. Now tell me all that took place." Harry did not require much urging, and related everything. Akira listened in silence. "Hai!" said he, when the tale was ended. "This poor wretch was ready to commit a second murder. So much evil we have saved him. Have you the will he spoke of?" "Yes." Pentreddle produced it from his pocket, but Akira did not offer to take it. In fact, he refused to touch it. "Give it to Mr. Dane as you have been instructed. I am glad to hear that he will inherit the property. I have a great opinion of Mr. Dane and a better one of the charming young lady he is going to marry." "I'll give it to him," said Pentreddle; "and now, sir, what is to become of me, if you please?" "Well," said Akira quietly, "as you have restored the emerald, you are no longer in danger. I give you your life. Also, and because you obeyed my instructions so implicitly, you can have these," and he produced ten notes of ten pounds each. "One hundred pounds, my friend." "I couldn't touch them, sir. It would look as though I wanted to take money for avenging my poor mother's death."