But I shall remain here for the rest of your interview, Captain Hervey, as I am sure you will not shoot again in the presence of a lady." "No, miss," muttered the captain, and when again invited by the angry Professor to speak, resumed his discourse in low tones.

"Wal, as I was saying," he remarked, sitting down with a dogged look, "Bolton intended to clear with the emeralds, but I guess Sir Frank got ahead of him and packed him in that blamed case, while he annexed the emeralds.

He then took the manuscript, which he looted from Bolton's corpse, and hid it among his books, as you say, while he left the blamed mummy in the garden of the old lady you talked about.

I guess that's what I say." "It's all theory," said Don Pedro in vexed tones.
"And there isn't a word of truth in it," said Lucy indignantly, standing up for Frank Random.
"It ain't for me to contradict you, miss," said Hervey, who was still humble, "but I ask you, if what I say ain't true, how did that copy of the manuscript come to be in that aristocrat's room ?" There was no reply made to this, and although every one present, save Hervey, believed in Random's innocence, no one could explain.

The reply came after some further conversation, by the appearance of the soldier himself in mess kit.