“No, I did not have it twelve months ago,” said Sorley quickly. “I went up and found Grison better than I expected. He had rallied since writing to me, and refused when we met, to give up the peacock. I departed, and later—in a few weeks, went up again, when I saw that he was very sick indeed with his profligate ways. He said that if I would promise to give his sister half of the treasure when it was discovered, he would hand me back the peacock. I refused, as I had no right to dispose of Marie’s property in that way.” Alan smiled grimly when he remembered how this scrupulous man had disposed of furniture which belonged to the niece whose goods he was supposed to safeguard. However he did not make any remark on this point, but asked a pertinent question: “Had Grison discovered the secret?” “No; he had tried to, but had failed, as everyone else has done up to the present,” said Sorley, continuing his narrative with an effort, for he appeared to be very weary. “When I refused to give up half the treasure he declined to restore the golden bird. Up till November last I continued to call on him and urge him to return what his sister had stolen, and it was because of my frequent visits that I purchased the motor bicycle.” “Ah,” said Dick, who was nursing his chin, “you didn’t want your visits to be known to the railway authorities.” “You are quite wrong, Mr. Latimer. If I chose to go up to town every now and then that was no business of anyone. Had I contemplated murder I might indeed have shirked giving color to my doings by travelling so often by train. But I bought the bicycle to save expense in one way, and because I found it easier to slip out of the house and up to town in this style.” “Hum!” murmured Latimer, to whom the explanation sounded weak, “we’ll admit so much for the time being. Well, sir?” “Well,” said Sorley taking no notice of the implied doubt. “I went up and down constantly. Sometimes Grison when sick would agree to give up the peacock without terms; then, when well, he would refuse to surrender it on any condition. Also sometimes he wanted half the treasure for his sister, since—as he put it—she had stuck by him in his fall. Finally, so as to get the bird and try to unravel the secret I compromised by offering to give a third of the jewels to Louisa.” “You had no right to promise that without submitting the proposition to Marie,” said Alan.