She had flushed at the mention of Lauriston's name, and Mr. Parminter was quick to see it. "How did you get to know him?" he continued. "By his coming to the shop--on business." "To pawn his watch, I believe?" "Yes." "You attended to him?" "Yes." "You had never seen him before?" "No." "Ever seen him since?" Zillah hesitated for a moment. "I saw him--accidentally--in Kensington Gardens, on Sunday," she answered at last. "Have any conversation with him?" "Yes," admitted Zillah. "About--pawnbroking?" "No!" retorted Zillah. "About his work--writing." "Did he tell you he was very hard up?" "I knew that!" said Zillah. "Hadn't he pawned his watch?" "Perhaps--you seem to be a very good business woman--perhaps you gave him some advice?" "Yes, I did! I advised him, as long as he'd anything on which he could raise money, not to let himself go without money in his pocket." "Excellent advice!" said Mr. Parminter, with a smile. He leaned forward, looking at his witness more earnestly. "Now, did Lauriston, on Sunday, or when you saw him before, ever mention to you that he possessed two rings of some value?" "No," replied Zillah. Mr. Parminter paused, hesitated, suddenly bowed to the Coroner, and dropping back into his seat, pulled out his snuff-box. And the Coroner, motioning Zillah to leave the witness-box, interrupted Mr. Parminter in the midst of a pinch of snuff. "I think it will be best to adjourn at this stage," he said. "It is obvious that we can't finish this today." He turned to the jurymen. "I propose to adjourn this enquiry for a week, gentlemen," he went on. "In the meantime--" His attention was suddenly arrested by Melky Rubinstein, who, after much uneasiness and fidgeting, rose from his seat and made his way to the foot of the table, manifestly desiring to speak. "What is it?" asked the Coroner. "Who are you? Oh!--the witness who identified the body. Yes?" "Mr. Coroner!" said Melky, in his most solemn tones. "This here inquest ain't being conducted right, sir! I don't mean by you--but these here gentlemen, the police, and Mr. Parminter there, is going off on a wrong scent. I know what they're after, and they're wrong! They're suppressing evidence, Mr. Coroner." Melky turned on Ayscough. "What about the clue o' this here old book?" he demanded. "Why ain't you bringing that forward? I'm the late Daniel Multenius's nearest male relative, and I say that clue's a deal more important nor what we've been hearing all the morning. What about that book, now, Mr. Ayscough? Come on!--what about it!--and its owner?" "What is this?" demanded the Coroner. "If there is anything--"