"Now, I was quick to think. I formed an impression within five seconds. That Chinaman had called--found the old man lying in a fit, or possibly dead--had seen, as was likely, the diamond on the table in the parlour, the wad of bank-notes lying near, had grabbed the lot--and gone away. It was a theory--and I am confident yet that it was the correct one. And I tell you plainly that my concern from that instant was not with Daniel Multenius, but with the Chinaman! I thought and acted like lightning. First, I hastily examined Multenius, felt in his pockets, found that there was nothing there that I wanted and that he was dead. Then I remembered that on a previous visit of mine he had let me out of his house by a door at the rear which communicated with a narrow passage running into Market Street, and without a second's delay, I seized Purvis by the arm and hurried him out. It was dark enough in that passage--there was not a soul about--we crossed Market Street, turned to the right, and were in Oxford and Cambridge Terrace before we paused. My instinct told me that the right thing to do was to get away from that parlour. And it was not until we were quite away from it that I realized that I had left my book behind me!" CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR BAFFLED Levendale paused at this point of his story, and looked round the circle of attentive faces. He was quick to notice that two men were watching him with particularly close attention--one was Ayscough, the other, the old solicitor. And as he resumed his account he glanced meaningly at Mr. Killick. "I daresay some of you would like to question me--and Stephen Purvis, too--on what I've already told you?" he said. "You're welcome to ask any questions you like--any of you--when I've done. But--let me finish--for then perhaps you'll fully understand what we were at.