"No, Marton," replied the curate, "I'll never believe that. And you forget that he claims to have obtained the money from Sir Frank Hale."
"Well, then, his possession of three hundred pounds is easily proved. I shall see Sir Frank Hale and question him. With regard to this Mrs Jeal, her story seems credible enough. I don't suppose she has any enmity against Haverleigh?"
"No. But she is a woman I neither like nor trust. A demure, cat-like creature, with a pair of wicked eyes."
"You make me long to see her," said Marton, waking up. "That is just the sort of person I like to meet. Do you think she may have stolen this cup herself, and have invented this wild story to account for the loss? I have heard of stranger and even more daring things."
"No. That is out of the question, Marton. On the night the cup was stolen Mrs Jeal was watching beside this sick girl--the mad creature I have told you about. She is innocent."
"Then I can only say that young Haverleigh seems to be the most likely person. Only, the evidence against him is so plain that I believe him to be guiltless. I always mistrust too plain evidence, Raston. It shows signs of having been prepared. Well, I'll see this young man to-morrow, and have a chat. I go by the face a great deal. Have you a photograph of him?"
"No," said the curate on the spur of the moment. "Oh, yes, by the way! I took a group of our people at a picnic. It is not a bad picture, although small. You can see the whole lot at a glance."
Raston got out the photograph, and Marton went to the lamp to see it the more plainly. He glanced at first carelessly at it, then his eyes grew large, his attention became fixed. At that moment there was a ring at the door. Marton looked at the clock. "You have a late visitor," he said.
"A call to see some sick woman probably. Why do you look so closely at that picture, Marton?"
"There is a face here I know. Who is that?"
Raston looked. "That is the man with whom Haverleigh is staying. Pratt!"
"Pratt?" repeated Marton in a thoughtful tone. "Has he a tattooed star on his cheek just under the cheek bone?"
"Yes. And he is tattooed on the arm also--the right arm. I expect he had it done while he was a sailor."
"Oh!" said Marton, dryly, "he says he was a sailor."