Purdie repressed a strong desire to stay longer, and to turn the conversation to more personal matters. But he was essentially a business man, and the matters of the moment seemed to be critical. So he promised to return, and then hurried back to his hotel--to find Melky Rubinstein pacing up and down outside the entrance. Purdie tapped Melky's shoulder and motioned him to walk along Praed Street. "Look here!" he said. "I want you to take me to see your cousin--and the pawnshop. We must have a talk--you said your cousin's a good business woman. She's the sort we can discuss business with, eh?" "My cousin Zillah Wildrose, mister," answered Melky, solemnly, "is one of the best! She's a better headpiece on her than what I have--and that's saying a good deal. I was going to suggest you should come there. Talk!--s'elp me, Mr. Purdie, it strikes me there'll be a lot of that before we've done. What about this here affair of last night?--I've just seen Mr. Ayscough, passing along--he's told me all about it. Do you think it's anything to do with our business?" "Can't say," answered Purdie. "Wait till we can discuss matters with your cousin." Melky led the way to the side-door of the pawnshop. Since the old man's death, the whole establishment had been closed--Zillah had refused to do any business until her grandfather's funeral was over. She received her visitors in the parlour where old Daniel had been found dead: after a moment's inspection of her, and the exchange of a few remarks about Lauriston, Purdie suggested that they should all sit down and talk matters over. "Half-a-mo!" said Melky. "If we're going to have a cabinet council, mister, there's a lady that I want to bring into it--Mrs. Goldmark. I know something that Mrs. Goldmark can speak to--I've just been considering matters while I was waiting for you, Mr. Purdie, and I'm going to tell you and Zillah, and Mrs. Goldmark, of a curious fact that I know of. I'll fetch her--and while I'm away Zillah'll show you that there book what was found there." Purdie looked with interest at the Spanish manuscript which seemed to be a factor of such importance. "I suppose you never saw this before?" he asked, as Zillah laid it on the table before him. "And you're certain it wasn't in the place when you went out that afternoon, leaving your grandfather alone?" "That I'm positive of," answered Zillah. "I never saw it in my life until my attention was drawn to it after he was dead. That book was brought in here during my absence, and it was neither bought nor pawned--that's absolutely certain! Of course, you know whose book it is?" "Mr. Spencer Levendale's," answered Purdie. "Yes I know all those particulars--and about his advertisements for it, and a little more. And I want to discuss all that with you and your cousin. This Mrs. Goldmark--she's to be fully trusted?"