“Really, I don’t quite follow your line of argument, Mr. Bakche.
“Let me put the matter in this way,” said the Indian deliberately: “The peacock is not only valuable in itself, but also indicated the whereabouts of a great treasure. Miss Grison declares that her brother was murdered for the sake of the bird, so it is plain that the assassin must have known the meaning of the riddle.”
“Still I cannot follow your line of argument,” persisted Fuller; “so far as I know the riddle has never been solved, unless Baldwin Grison, who had the bird for over twenty years—according to his sister that is—guessed what has baffled everyone.”
“Well,” said Bakche sullenly, “whether he solved the riddle or not, some one who wanted the treasure murdered him to obtain the clue.”
“On the other hand some rough sailor may have killed the man merely for the sake of getting the bird. It is valuable enough, as you say yourself, to account for the assassin risking his neck. But why come to me, Mr. Bakche, since on the face of it I can possibly know nothing.”
“You know who wants the bird!”
“Oh yes. Miss Inderwick, from whose house it was stolen, and to whom I am engaged, wants the bird very much, since it belongs rightfully to her. But I hope you don’t accuse a girl of twenty of the crime.”
“No! no! no!” said Bakche earnestly; “but other people know of the value of the peacock.”
“I agree. The whole countryside knows the story. If you suspect anyone in Belstone you had better go down and look for the individual.”
“I suspect Mr. Sorley!”