"Oh, he has evidence to go upon, you may depend." Then the minister related to him Slade's discovery of the ear-ring, and the deductions he had drawn from it. He mentioned, too, that Finland had sold the pearls. "Now, it would seem," continued Johnson, "that Zara, on the evidence of the ear-ring, killed Bithiah out of jealousy, robbed her dead body of the pearls, and gave them to Finland to dispose of in London. For all we know, he may have returned here to take Zara off to the South Seas, in the schooner which he bought with the money."
"Do you believe this, rye?"
"No, frankly, I don't. I believe that the ear-ring belonged to Miss Arnott, and that she lost it during her quarrel with Bithiah. It was probably dropped in the field by the poor girl herself when she struggled with her assailant. As to Finland, notwithstanding his disposal of the pearls, I cannot make up my mind to believe him guilty of murder."
"Who knows, rye? A man will do much for a woman's sake. If this sailor loved Zara----"
"He did not. He loved Bithiah!"
Pharaoh deliberated for a moment. "I will go with you to Poldew, rye," he said. "It is necessary that I should hear the truth."
"So be it, Lee; let us hope that is what we shall hear."
They continued their way in silence; neither was inclined to speak.
It was late when they arrived, and the court house was already crowded. Johnson's garb and the knowledge of his connection with the dead girl obtained him entrance, and Lee pushing close after him, they managed to secure a very good position both for seeing and hearing. Jack was already under examination before the magistrate, an elderly gentleman with a professionally bland manner. The prisoner appeared cool and composed. He was apparently not the least perturbed at the position in which he found himself. Many of the Grimleigh folk were present, amongst them Carwell and Korah Brand. Everybody was ready for an exciting morning. As it came about, they had cause for no small measure of excitement, though hardly in the direction they had anticipated.
"I am not guilty of this murder," said Finland in a clear voice, "and I will prove my innocence."