“Perhaps I do,” answered the man significantly; “but you can’t expect me to give you that information without payment.” “Oh, if you want money——” Bakche flushed through the clear brown of his skin. “I do not want money, Mr. Fuller; a gentleman of my rank does not take money. I only desire a share of the jewels which rightfully belong to me—the whole of them.” “I think not,” said Alan, while Latimer kept step beside him in silence, leaving his friend to adjust matters. “There was a proper assignment of the jewels made by the Rajah of Kam, the Begum and their vizier. All is in order, Mr. Bakche, and you have not a leg to stand on.” The man was silent for a few moments in sheer surprise at this very authoritative statement. “How do you know this, Mr. Fuller?” “I read the statement myself, and saw the jewels of——” “You saw the jewels,” almost shrieked Bakche, clenching and unclenching his hands; “then you have—you have——” he could speak no further. “Yes,” growled Dick, breaking his self-imposed silence, “Fuller and Miss Inderwick have solved the riddle of the peacock, and have found the jewels.” “Where are they? where are they?” “In a certain bank in London,” said Alan quickly; “they are there now in Miss Inderwick’s name along with the peacock.” “So if you intended to burgle The Monastery,” growled Dick grimly, “you only waste your time.” Bakche drew himself up proudly. “You speak to an Indian gentleman, sir.” “I speak to a man who wants certain jewels, and who will stick at nothing to get them,” retorted Latimer bluntly; “how do we know but what you may have murdered Grison?” “I did not; and,” added the man superciliously, “you will have some difficulty in proving that I did.” “I am not so sure of that, Mr. Bakche,” put in Fuller; “after all, Mother Slaig can prove that you frequently saw Grison at her house.” Bakche looked startled and turned gray. “How can she prove that?” “By means of that tattooed snake you have on your right arm.” “Ah-r-r-r! So you have been making inquiries? No,” Bakche threw up his hand with a haughty gesture. “I don’t want to hear what you have to say, for I admit that I often visited the house you mention. I knew that Grison had the peacock through his sister. She told me. I tried to get it from him, but he refused to surrender it. But I did not murder him.” “But you know who did?” “Perhaps,” said the Indian ambiguously, “only I shall not tell unless Miss Inderwick—as you suggested yourself, Mr. Fuller—gives me a portion of the jewels. If they did not belong to me rightfully I should not ask for even a part. I am,” he drew himself up again, “an Indian gentleman.” “Well,” said Fuller, who wished to be fair, “I don’t deny but what your family jewels being given away is hard on you. Miss Inderwick wishes to clear the character of her uncle, and will be willing to give you some of your own back—I expect you put it in that way to yourself—if you can denounce the true murderer.” “I think I can.”