"My unhappy client, as you call him, was a fool," retorted Prain, coolly; "he thought that Laura Kirkstone was guilty, whereas I am sure that the housekeeper killed her master. But I could not bring the crime home to her, and Dean was condemned to penal servitude on account of a murder which I am certain he did not commit. When I heard of his escape I thought he might find out Miss Gilmar and make her confess. He always intended to escape, if possible, for that purpose."
Gebb thought for a moment. "Perhaps he killed her, after all, because she would not confess," said he, with some hesitation.
"No," replied Prain. "Dean was wild and wasteful, and, between you and me, Mr. Gebb, not altogether as well-behaved as he might have been, but I am sure he was not the man to commit a murder. Believe me, he is as innocent of this second crime as he was of the first."
"Well," said Gebb, thoughtfully, "I have my doubts regarding his guilt in both cases. I agree with you, going by the story told to me by Parge, that Miss Gilmar killed Kirkstone, but who killed Miss Gilmar?"
"Some unknown person, for the sake of the diamonds," returned Prain, promptly.
"The diamonds?"
"Yes. Miss Gilmar took possession of Laura Kirkstone's jewels, and amongst them were some valuable diamonds. I read in the papers that Miss Gilmar wore those diamonds nightly, and that when her dead body was discovered the diamonds were gone."
"True enough," replied Gebb, "It might be a case of robbery, as you say. But if the murderer tries to dispose of those diamonds by sale or pawning, I'll be able to catch him."
"I may tell you," said Prain, after some reflection, "that the most valuable of Laura's jewels was a diamond necklace, which I see by the reports in the papers was stolen by the murderer. Now, that necklace was given to Laura by Dean, and Miss Gilmar had no right to it."
"But how could Dean, who was almost bankrupt, afford to give Laura a diamond necklace?"