not be
interrupted when reading."

"All right," said Hope. "Have a cigar!"

"No, thanks. I have been smoking all the night. I shall sit here by the
fire and wait for the coffee. You look chippy yourself."

"And small wonder," said Archie wearily. "We little thought when we left
the Fort last night what a time we were going to have. Fancy Mrs. Jasher
having sent you the emerald after all!"

"Yes. She repented, as she said, and yet I dare say--as she also
said--she was sorry that she acted on her impulse. If she had not been
stabbed by that damned Cockatoo, she would no doubt have destroyed that
confession. I expect she wrote that also on the impulse of the moment."

"She confessed as much," said Hope, leaning his head on his hand and
staring into the fire. "She must have been cognizant of the truth all
along. I wonder if she was an accessory before or after the fact?"

"What I wonder," said Random, after a moment's thought, "is, what
Braddock has to do with the matter?"

Hope raised his head in surprise.

"Why, nothing. Mrs. Jasher did not say a word against Braddock."

"I know that. All the same, Cockatoo was completely under the thumb of
the Professor, and probably was instructed by him to strangle Bolton."

"That is impossible," cried the artist, much agitated. "Think of what
you are saying, Random. What a terrible thing it would be for Lucy if
the Professor were guilty in such a way as you suggest!"

"Really, I fail to see that. Miss Kendal is no relation to Braddock save
by marriage. His iniquities have nothing to do with her, or with you."

"But it's impossible, I tell you, Random. Throughout the whole of this
case Braddock has acted in a perfectly innocent way."

"That's just it," said Sir Frank caustically; "he has acted. In spite
of his pretended grief for the loss of the emeralds, I should not be
surprised to learn from that," he nodded towards the confession on the
table, "that he was in possession of the missing gem. Cockatoo had no
reason to steal the emeralds himself, setting aside the fact that he
probably would not know their value, being but a semi-civilized savage.
He acted under orders from his master, and although Cockatoo strangled
Bolton, the Professor is really the author and the gainer and the moving
spirit."

"You would make Braddock an accessory before the fact."

"Yes, and Mrs. Jasher an accessory after the fact. Cockatoo is the link,
as the actual criminal, who joins the two