It wasn't there when my cousin Zillah
left the old man alone at a quarter to five yesterday afternoon. It was
there when this here gentleman found the old man. But it hadn't been
pledged, nor yet sold, Mr. Ayscough--There'd ha' been an entry in the
books if it had been taken in pawn, or bought across the counter--and
there's no entry. Now then--who'd left it there?"
Another official had come up to the group--one of the men who had
questioned Lauriston the night before. He turned to Lauriston as Melky
finished.
"You don't know anything about this book?" he asked.
"Nothing--except that Mr. Ayscough and I saw it lying on the table in the
back room, close by that tray of rings," replied Lauriston. "I was
attracted by the binding, of course."
"Where's the book, now?" asked the official.
"Put safe away, mister," replied Melky. "It's all right. But this here
gentleman what's advertising for it--"
Just then the constable returned with several newspapers and handed them
over to Ayscough, who immediately laid them on a desk and turned to the
advertisements, while the others crowded round him.
"In every one of 'em," exclaimed Ayscough, a moment later.
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