As Tera and Jack, with Tolai in close attendance, walked arm-in-arm up the hill to the minister's house, they came face to face with Mr. and Mrs. Slade. The ex-policeman no longer wore a uniform. He was in plain clothes now, permanently, so far as the police force was concerned. Jack had heard of his dismissal, and stopped now to speak to him. "Well, sonny," said he, cheerfully, "so you've left the force." "I've bin kicked out for doing my duty," growled Slade, glowering at his wife, "and it's Jemima's doing, with her jealousy. She never would behave sensible-like." "You needn't begin again, Jeremiah," whimpered Jemima, wiping her eyes with the corner of her shawl; "you've been at me all day." "Ain't I got cause to? Ain't you got me turned out of the force? Ain't I got to leave Grimleigh?" "Where are you going?" asked Tera. "To London," replied the ex-policeman; "there ain't no chance for a man like me getting on here. I'm bent on being a detective--like those fellows in novels. Ah! there's some chance in London." "What have you done with the pearl Mr. Mayne gave you?" demanded Jack, "I've kept it; and I'm going to stick to it. Chard wanted me to give it up, but I wouldn't. It's mine, fair and square--worth thirty and more pounds. I'll sell it in London, for we ain't got over-much money, thanks to Jemima." "Slade," said Finland, seriously, "before you clear out, tell me if Mayne killed the girl." "How should I know, sir? I ain't got nothing to do with the case now. Let them as think themselves clever find out, I don't believe he did, all the same. 'Cos he'd left Zara when I met him." "Where did you meet him?" "Just above the town. He was coming down to Grimleigh, and Zara was running in the Poldew direction. They didn't meet again to my knowledge, and as I was on duty I was between them all the time up yonder. No, Mr. Finland; whoever killed that girl it wasn't Mr. Mayne." "As you saw Zara in my clothes, you must have known that I was not dead," said Tera. "I did, miss. And when the time came I'd have said so. I was working to find out who killed Zara, not you, till them fools spoiled my case. It was Zara who was dead I knew well enough; but as she wore your clothes, my theory was as some one as hated you killed her in mistake. From that cord I thought as it was Mr. Johnson, but it wasn't. Then it struck me as you might have had a hand in it, Mr. Finland, but you hadn't." "I should think not," said Jack, sharply. "Why should I harm Zara? Did you ever suspect Mayne?" "No, I didn't. If he'd killed Zara he'd a done so when he met her; and she was alive after he gave the pearl to me. It was in mistake for you, miss, as the girl was killed. As I'm going away, I don't mind saying as much. Good-bye, miss; good-bye, sir. Jemima, you come along; we ain't got no time to lose here."