“Faugh!” cried Hope with disgust, “Blood-money!”

“What of that?  Ifs a man is a murderer he should be lynched.”

“My friend, Sir Frank Random, is no murderer.”

“He’s got to prove, that, as I said before,” rejoined the Yankee in a calm way, and strolled to the door.  “So-long, gents both.  I’ll light out for the Warrior Inn and play my cards.  And I may tell you,” he added, pausing at the door, which he opened, “that I haven’t got that blamed wind-jammer, so need money to hold out until another steamer comes along.  One hundred pounds English currency will just fill the bill.  So now you know the lay I’m on.  So-long,” and he walked quietly out of the house, leaving Archie and Braddock looking at one another with pale faces.  The assurance of Hervey surprised and horrified them.  Still, they could not believe that Sir Frank Random had been guilty of so brutal a crime.

“For one thing,” said Hope after a pause, “Random did not know where the emeralds were to be found, or even that they existed.”

“I understood that he did know,” said Braddock reluctantly.  “In my hearing, and in your own, you heard Don Pedro state that he had related the story of the manuscript to Random.”

“You forget that I learned about the emeralds at the same time,” said Hope quietly.  “Yet this Yankee skipper does not accuse me.  The knowledge of the emeralds came to Random’s ears and to mine long after the crime was committed.  To have a motive for killing Bolton and stealing the emeralds, Random would have had to know when he arrived in England.”

“And why should he have not known?” asked the Professor, biting his lip vexedly.  “I don’t want to accuse Random, or even to doubt him, as he is a very good fellow, even though he refused to assist me with money when I desired a reward to be offered.  All the same, he met Don Pedro in Genoa, and it is just possible that the man told him of the jewels buried with the mummy.”

Archie shook his head.

“I doubt that,” said he thoughtfully.  “Random was as astonished as the rest of us, when Don Pedro told his Arabian Night story.  However, the point can be easily settled by sending for Random.  I daresay he is at the Fort.”

“I shall send Cockatoo for him at once,” said the Professor quickly, and walked into the museum to instruct the Kanaka.  Archie remained where he was, and seated himself on a chair, with folded arms and knitted brows.  It was incredible that an English gentleman with a stainless name and such a well-known soldier should commit so terrible a crime.  And the matter of Hervey’s accusation was complicated by the fact—­of which Hervey was ignorant—­that Don Pedro was willing that Random should become his son-in-law.  Hope wondered what the fiery, proud Peruvian would say when he heard his friend denounced.  His reflections on this point were cut short by the return of the Professor, who appeared at the door of the museum dismissing Cockatoo.  When the Kanaka took his departure, Braddock beckoned to the young man.