"Quite right, Mr. Carwell. On a charge of murdering the native girl who was a ward of Mr. Johnson's. Tera--Bithiah--you know her name better than I do."
"But it is impossible that Jack killed her. Inspector. He loved the girl--he was prepared to marry her. The charge is ridiculous."
"No doubt," replied Chard, coolly. "I can't myself see his reason for the crime. But we have proof positive that he sold Tera's pearls in London, and bought a share in the Dayspring with the proceeds."
"Jack never told me that! I understood from him that she was the property of Captain Shackel."
"Shackel says differently, Mr. Carwell. He told me himself that your nephew bought a share, and, what is more, paid for it on the nail."
"Impossible! He had not the money."
"Oh yes, he had. Moss declared that Finland got two thousand pounds for the pearls. To obtain them, he killed Tera."
"I don't, I won't believe it!" cried Carwell, growing very red. "Jack is an honest lad, and my own sister's son. If he were guilty he would not return here into the jaws of danger. If he were in funds, he would not want money from me, or risk his liberty and neck to come here for it."
"Oh, so he wants money from you?"
"He does. I see no reason to deny the truth. My nephew came here to ask me for five hundred pounds. He wants that amount to pay seamen's wages and provision the boat for her cruise to the South Seas. If he killed the girl, and sold the pearls for the amount you say, he would not require more."