"I still hold to my opinion," said Tait quietly. "The affair was related to Jenny by someone who lived in Horriston at the time the murder took place. Else she would never have given Linton that fact about the scarfpin, which, as we know, is not mentioned in the report of the trial." "Hilliston says that the episode is fiction." "Mrs. Bezel says it is fact." "What! Was a scarfpin of garnets really found in the grounds of The Laurels?" "It was. Mrs. Bezel described the jewel to me, and asserted that it was discovered near the bank of the stream." "Does she know to whom it belonged?" "No! She had no recollection of having seen it before. Neither your father nor Jeringham wore a scarfpin of that pattern." "It is curious that Hilliston should insist that such a pin never existed." "It is very curious," assented Tait significantly, "especially as it was shown to him by Denis Bantry. This one fact ought to convince you that Hilliston is playing us false." "My doubts were confirmed by his manner to-night," replied Claude gloomily. "I don't know what his reason may be, or how I can reconcile his present behavior with his kindness to my mother, but he certainly seems anxious to thwart us if he can." Tait guessed what the reason was very well, but was too wise to explain himself. Granted that a bond existed between Mrs. Bezel and the lawyer, and the whole thing became clear, but Mrs. Bezel was Claude's mother, so Tait held his peace. "Why wasn't the scarfpin produced at the trial?" asked Claude, seeing his friend made no answer. "Only one man can answer that question--Denis Bantry." "Does my mother know where he is?" "No. She has not set eyes on him since she left Horriston." "It is strange that he should have suppressed so important a piece of evidence," said Claude meditatively, "devoted as he was to my father. I should have thought he would have done his best to bring the murderer to justice." "Perhaps he did not know who the murderer was. However, there is no doubt that the scarfpin must have told him something about which he judged it wise to hold his tongue. Perhaps Miss Paynton can enlighten us on the subject." "Then she must know Denis Bantry." "So I think," said Tait thoughtfully. "The episode of the scarfpin was only known to your mother, to Hilliston, and to Bantry. Jenny Paynton does not know your mother, who denied all knowledge of her. She cannot be acquainted with Hilliston, or he certainly would not have let her make use of the affair for Linton's book, even if he had told her. There only remains Denis Bantry. Now, I know that Jenny has lived all her life at Thorston, so if she saw this man anywhere it must have been there." "Is there anyone in the neighborhood you think is he?" asked Larcher, greatly excited. "None that I can call to mind. But then, I don't know the neighborhood very well. We must make a thorough exploration of it when we are down there."