“The cause of much worry and anxiety to me, my dear sir!” he answered. “I can see what it is well enough!”
“Aye, and you want to know how I got it, don’t you?” suggested Parslewe. “So do these young people. I’ll tell you. Old Matthew Palkeney made me a present of it.”
“Ah!” exclaimed Sir Charles. “You were acquainted with him?”
“Don’t I tell you I’ve got Palkeney blood in my veins?” said Parslewe. “My great-grandmother was a Palkeney—born in this house. I have the Palkeney pedigree, and the Parslewe pedigree—at your service, any time. And when I came to the Crown, on the occasion you’ve just mentioned, it was just out of curiosity to see this place. I introduced myself to old Matthew. I’d brought my pedigree with me; we compared notes and family documents, and enjoyed ourselves. I dined here with him one night, and we went thoroughly into family history.”
“He was convinced of your relationship?” asked Sir Charles.
“He couldn’t be anything else,” said Parslewe, drily. “The thing’s there—it’s fact. But we didn’t dwell overmuch on that, once it was settled. We were more concerned with our mutual taste for old things. And the next day the old man drove up to the Crown, when I was out, and left for me a parcel. It contained this copper box, which has been in the family for I don’t know how long, and some six or seven old books which I had admired—a nice present. I wrote him a nice letter in return, and carried my present home. Not knowing, mind you,” added Parslewe, with a sudden keen look, “what this box contained.”
Sir Charles was getting keenly attentive. He looked like a man who has become sure that something is going to be sprung on him.
“My dear sir!” he said. “What did it contain?”
Parslewe picked up the copper box and tapped it significantly.
“I never knew that it contained anything until some thirty-six hours ago!” he answered. “I never should have known if you fellows hadn’t made such a fuss about it. But when you did—when I found out from Craye here that you yourself were on the prowl, there in Northumberland, and after me—well, I naturally began to put two and two together. And it seemed to me that the secret lay with that man Bickerdale, to whom I’d entrusted the copper box for repair, and who’d had it in his hands long enough to find out about it more than I had. It struck me that Bickerdale, not content with what he’d got out of you for telling where the box was, had discovered something in it which he was holding back in hopes of a further and more substantial reward. So I just went to Newcastle and started to find that out. I did find it out—and though I’m not clear now as to when Bickerdale found a certain document in the box, I did find out that he’d not only found one, but had got it! And in Craye’s presence and in the presence of your man Pawley, to whom I’d just given a certain piece of confidential information—I forced it out of Bickerdale. I’ve got it! And it solves the question that’s been bothering you.”