"I never saw it before," he murmured, and I believed that he was speaking the truth; "so this is how Gabriel concealed his secret?"
I tried to read what was on the coin, but failed, as the engraving was so very small. "Have you a magnifying glass, Mr. Monk?" I asked.
"Not to my knowledge," he said promptly; "however, I'll look for one," and he rose to make a search.
I examined the eye again; then closed the case, and placed it on the table, intending to pocket it when I had used the magnifying glass. "Though I daresay," said I to Striver, who was seated in his chair looking very dejected, "you can tell me what the cipher consists of."
He did not answer my question, but leaned forward and buried his face in his hands. To my surprise I saw the tears forcing themselves between his fingers. I hate to see a man cry, but on this occasion I was glad, for these tears showed that Striver had broken down. He was not cut out by nature for a villain, and now that I had thwarted his schemes he could contrive no new ones. He was beaten, and he knew that he was beaten. I felt quite sorry for him, badly as he had behaved.
"Striver!" I placed my hand on his bowed shoulders.
"Don't touch me," he said in a choking voice, and rising to his feet he walked rapidly to the end of the room, where there was an ottoman. Here he flung himself down at full length, sobbing bitterly. I followed, and waited until the paroxysm passed away. Then, finding him in a gentler mood, I hoped to get at the truth, which I felt convinced he knew. And indeed, seeing that he had been concealed in the house during the commission of the crime, he must know who had stabbed his aunt. Unless----
"Striver," I said sharply, "pull yourself together and answer me. Did you murder this unfortunate woman?"
"No," he sobbed in a stifled voice, "I did not. I was hidden in the bedroom, and came down to find her dead. The rest, as to taking your car and escaping, I have told you."
"What's to be done, then?" I muttered, much perplexed.