Johnson jumped up so suddenly as to overturn the chair on which he had been seated. "Oh! heavens, do you accuse me, too?" he cried in distress.

"'Course I do. Why!" Jacob fastened his evil eye on his victim, "I know you killed the Kanaka for them pearls."

"You liar, I did not! I swear----"

"Don't swear," said the captain, coolly; "'tain't no good with me. If ye didn't kill the girl, how did ye get the pearls?"

"I haven't got the pearls," said Johnson, in a frenzy.

"Yah! that won't do for me," jeered Shackel. "I want a share of the money."

"Man, I tell you I have not got the pearls."

"Well," said Shackel, "you are a square liar, there's no mistake about that. I saw you myself taking 'em to a London Jew dealer's! Now, then, Ananias!"

[CHAPTER IX]

MISS ARNOTT