"By his coming to the shop--on business."
"To pawn his watch, I believe?"
"Yes."
"You attended to him?"
"Yes."
"You had never seen him before?"
"No."
"Ever seen him since?"
Zillah hesitated for a moment.
"I saw him--accidentally--in Kensington Gardens, on Sunday," she answered
at last.
"Have any conversation with him?"
"Yes," admitted Zillah.
"About--pawnbroking?"
"No!" retorted Zillah. "About his work--writing."
"Did he tell you he was very hard up?"
"I knew that!" said Zillah. "Hadn't he pawned his watch?"
"Perhaps--you seem to be a very good business woman--perhaps you gave him
some advice?"
"Yes, I did! I advised him, as long as he'd anything on which he could
raise money, not to let himself go without money in his pocket."
"Excellent advice!" said Mr. Parminter, with a smile.
He leaned forward, looking at his witness more earnestly. "Now, did
Lauriston, on Sunday, or when you saw him before, ever mention to you that
he possessed two rings of some value?"
"No," replied Zillah.
Mr. Parminter paused, hesitated, suddenly bowed to the Coroner, and
dropping back into his seat, pulled out his snuff-box.
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