"Silence, nephew!" roared Carwell. He turned again to Mayne. "I know not whether you are a Cain or not, vagabond that you are. But mark my word, if you are, you shall swing for it, if I can manage the job. You needn't try to get away. I'll be too many for you. I'll hunt you down. I'll----"
Herbert cast a terrified glance around. At that moment the noise of wheels and loud voices was heard. He seemed to think the officers of justice were already on his track. With a rush he was at the door. Jack sprang forward to catch him, but Mayne flung open the door, and dashed out into the night--only to fall into the hands of Slade. Back whence he had come the policeman carried him, kicking and struggling. Immediately after them came Mrs. Slade and Pharaoh Lee.
"Now, Mr. Mayne, I have an account to settle with you. Stand still, if you please."
The wretched man fell back against the wall, limp and despairing. With shrill clamour, Mrs. Slade bounced forward to explain their intrusion to Mr. Carwell. Pharaoh remained standing at the door, his hand behind his back.
"Oh, sir," wailed the policeman's wife, "I'm just heartbroken at all this. Tell me if my Jeremiah loves your Bithiah, or she him."
"I? I love that man?" cried Tera. "Nonsense! Of course I do not. I am engaged to marry Mr. Finland, here."
"Thank you, miss. Then why did you give Jeremiah one of your pearls?"
"I did not, Mrs. Slade. The only pearl I gave was one to Zara Lovell on the night she changed dresses with me."
"There! I told yer so, Jemima," said Slade, laying a heavy hand on Herbert's shoulder. "And I got the pearl from this man, I was up about the field on the night Zara came back, and I saw her speaking to Mr. Mayne. I knew as there was something between them. I was sure it was her, as I saw 'er face in the moonlight. At first, miss" (this to Tera), "I thought it was you--as she 'ad your clothes on. Later on I met Mr. Mayne running down to Grimleigh. I told him as I'd seen him speaking to Zara, and he asked me to say nothing about it lest Miss Carwell should hear of it. I wouldn't promise nothin', so to persuade me he gave me a pearl which 'e said Zara 'ad just given im."
"My pearl!" cried Tera.