"She told me her name was Zara, and wanted to tell my fortune,"
resumed Tera. "Then I thought if I could change clothes with her I
might escape the more easily from my guardian and Misi Brand. At
first, Zara refused to change clothes, but I promised to give her one
of my pearls if she would. Then she consented. We went behind a hedge
and changed clothes. I gave her the pearl, and we parted. I never saw
her again."
"In which direction did she go?" asked the magistrate, to whom Chard
had sent up a note.
"Towards Grimleigh, by the road I had come."
"Did she say why she was going to Grimleigh?"
"Yes; she said she was seeking her husband."
"And his name--his name!" shouted Pharaoh, unable longer to keep
silence.
"If you interrupt, I shall commit you for contempt of court," said the
magistrate, angrily. "How dare you raise your voice here?"
"I do not know his name," continued the witness, when Pharaoh had been
suppressed. "Zara never told me; we were only together for twenty
minutes."
"Did you see any one about?"
"No; no one."
"Do you know who murdered this gipsy girl?"
"No, sir," said Tera, very earnestly. "How was I to know that she went
to meet her death?"
"Where did you go then--to Poldew?"
"No; as I had changed my clothes, I thought it best to avoid Poldew. I
walked to the station beyond, and caught the train there. On arriving
in London, I went to Captain Jacob, and told him what I had done. He
promised to assist me if I would befriend him with my father, Buli,
when we returned to Koiau. I consented, and he hid me in the house
where his sister lived. I waited in London for some time, until I
thought Mr. Johnson would have given up looking for me. Then I asked
Captain Jacob to write for Jack. When he came up, the captain brought
him to me, and Jack agreed that we should all go back to Koiau. He and
Captain Shackel were both anxious to buy a schooner to return in, and
to use for trading round the islands. I agreed that he should take my
pearls and sell them for that purpose. He got two thousand pounds for
them, although they were worth three--but he could not get more. With
this money, and Captain Jacob's savings, they together bought the
_Dayspring_. That took all the money, except such small sum as was
necessary to man the ship and bring her round here. Jack's object in
coming to Grimleigh was to get a sum of money from his uncle, so that
we could procure some more sailors, and proper provisions for the
voyage, I did not want to come, because I was afraid that Mr. Johnson
would get hold of me, and take me away from Jack. But Captain Shackel
and Jack arranged that I should stay on board the schooner until they
came ashore and got the money; and then I could sail away to Koiau
without any one being the wiser. I heard about the murder, but I was
frightened to come forward. I knew, of course, that it was Zara who
had been killed. Then Jack was arrested, and Captain Shackel told me