"I fear," answered Akira, rather ironically, "that your curiosity was not gratified. However, as the power still radiated from the stone, keeping off all things that would hurt it, I reversed the power, or rather, stopped it altogether." "How did you manage that?" asked Basil doubtfully. Akira shook his head. "I cannot tell you. I dare not. It is a secret. And even if I did, you would only laugh, since you do not believe in these sort of things. I knew the necessary mantra to say and said it." He looked at Patricia with a smile. "You felt the difference." "Yes," she nodded, with a look of something like awe. "Then you snatched it." "Of course, and the jewel being recovered, I would then and there have taken it back to Japan, but for the murder of Mrs. Pentreddle." "Theodore _did_ murder her, then?" said Basil in a low, shamed voice. "Oh, yes, and in the way her son told you. My man with the scar saw the crime committed, and secured the scarf, as evidence, with the name of your brother marked in the corner." "Bad as Theodore was," said Basil, drawing a deep breath, "I am glad that you did not shame the family by denouncing him." Akira smiled at him in a friendly way. "Of course, you are my friend," he observed. "Also, I wished to find young Pentreddle. I came down to Beckleigh, as you know, and left instructions to my two men to send down the Jewel to Mr. Colpster. But before leaving London I reversed the power." "But I don't see----" "I do not expect you to see, my dear man," interrupted Akira quickly; "but the jewel arrived with the power reversed." "Yes," Patricia nodded again. "I felt it," and she shivered. "Well, then," Akira glanced at his watch, "there is little more to tell. I simply waited while the Jewel did its work of loosening the cliff. All the time it was in the house it was drawing those tons of earth down on the place. I heard in the drawing-room that night that Mr. Colpster was going to speak to Pentreddle, and pretended to go to bed. Instead of doing so, I got out of the window and intercepted him on the winding road. I then told him that I could prove who killed his mother, and sent him to wait for my arrival in London. He went the next morning. I came on later, and then I made my man with the scar tell him everything. Pentreddle left me with a full statement, signed by my man and witnessed. As your brother is dead and it is useless to make a scandal," said Akira, glancing at Basil, "I got that document from him last night and burned it." Dane leaned forward and shook the hand of the Japanese. "I am greatly obliged to you," he said with emotion. "Why," said Akira, in a friendly manner, "there is no reason that you should suffer for the sins of others. That would not be fair. Besides, I wish you to give Miss Carrol a clean name. Now, then, do you wish to know any more, as I must up anchor and steam for the East?" "How many people know that my brother committed this murder?"