“Impossible!” cried Sir Frank.  “She engaged herself to Braddock.”

“But only after Bolton’s death, remember.”

Don Pedro nodded.

“That is true.  But what you say, Mr. Hope, proves the truth of Hervey’s theory.”

“In what way?”

“Mrs. Jasher, as we know from what Random told us, wanted money.  She would not marry a man who was poor.  Bolton was poor, but of course the emeralds would make him wealthy, as they are of immense value.  Probably he intended to steal them in order to marry this woman.  This implicates Mrs. Jasher in the crime.”

“Yes,” assented Sir Frank, nodding.  “But as Bolton did not know that the emeralds existed before he bought the mummy in Malta, I do not see why he should borrow a disguise beforehand for Mrs. Jasher to meet him at the Sailor’s Rest.”

“The thing is easily settled,” said Hope impatiently.  “Let us both go to Mrs. Jasher’s this evening, and insist upon the truth being told.  If she confesses about her secret engagement to Sidney Bolton, she may admit that the clothes were borrowed for her.”

“And she may admit also that she placed the manuscript in my room,” said Sir Frank after a pause.  “Hervey did not place it there, but it is just possible that Mrs. Jasher, having got it from Bolton when she talked to him through the window, may have done so.”

“Nonsense!” said Hope with vigorous commonsense.  “Mrs. Jasher would be spotted in a moment if she had gone to your quarters.  She had to pass the sentry, remember.  Then, again, we have not yet proved that she was the woman in Mrs. Bolton’s clothes who spoke through the window.  That can all be settled if we speak to her this evening.”

“Very good.”  Random glanced at his watch.  “I must get back.  Don Pedro, will you tell Inez that I shall come in this evening?  We can then talk further about these matters.  Hope?”

“I shall stop here, as I wish to consult Don Pedro.”

Random nodded and took a reluctant departure.  He dearly wished, as an engaged lover should, to remain on the chance that Donna Inez might return, but duty called him and he was forced to obey.

The night was very dark, although it was not particularly late.  But there was no rain, and Random walked rapidly through the village and down the road to the Fort.  He caught a glimpse of the lights of Mrs. Jasher’s cottage twinkling in the distance, and smiled grimly as he thought of the invisible spell he had placed thereon.  No doubt Mrs. Jasher was shivering in her Louis Quinze shoes at the idea of being watched.  But then, she deserved that much punishment at least, as Random truly thought.

When entering the Fort, the sentry saluted as usual, and Random was about to pass, when the man stepped forward, holding out a brown paper package.

“Please, sir, I found this in my sentry box,” he said, saluting.

Sir Frank took the packet.