Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-09-04
CHAPTER VIII.

pEnN{N wizen monkey of man, who
 B8f&dY announced himself as JabeZ
 Fash, the solicitor of the deceased. He
 had, so he said, executed Aaron's legal
 business for years and knew all his
 secrets. Yet when questioned by the police he could throw no light on the
 murder. But he knew of something strange connected with the matter, and this he related to the detective who was now in charge of the case.
 This officer was a chatty, agreeable, pleasant faced man, with brown eyes,
 brown hair and brown skin. Also, to
 match his face no doubt, he wore brown clothes, brown boots, brown hat and a brown tie-in fact, in body, face and hands and dress lie was all brown, and this prevalent color produc- ed rather strange effect.
 The brown man, who answered to the name of Hurd, or, as he genially described himself, Billy Hurd. saw MT. Fash, the lawyer, after he had ex- amined every one he could lay hold of in the hopes of learning something like ly to elucidate the mystery. What do you know of this matter, sir:" asked the brown man pleasantly.
 Fash screwed up his face in man. ner worthy of his monkey looks. He would have been an absolute image of one with a few nuts in his cheek, and as he talked in a chattering sort of way, very fast and tritle incoherent, the resemblance was complete. T know nothing why my esteemed client should meet with such death," he said, "but may mention that on the evening of his death he called round to see me and deposited in my charge four bags of jewels. At least he said they were jewels for the bags are seal ed, and of course I never opened them"
 "Can I sec those bags?" asked Hurd amiably.
 The legal monkey hoped into the next room and beckoned Hurd to fol- low. Shortly the two were looking in to the interior of safe wherein re- posed four bags of coarse white canvas sealed and tied with stout cords. "The odd thing is," said Mir Fash, chewing his words and looking so absurdly like monkey that the detective felt in- clined to call him "Jacko," that on the morning of the murder and before I heard anything about it a stranger came with a note from my esteemed client asking that the bags should be handed over"
 What sort of mHn?'
 Well" said Fash, fiddling with his sharp chin, what you might call a seafaring man. A sailor, maybe, would be tie best term. He was stout and red faced, but with drink rather than with weather, should think, and he rolled on his bow legs in somewhat nautical way"
 What name did he give?" asked Hurd, writing this description rapidly fin his notebook.
 None I asked him who he was, and he told me-with many oaths. regret to say-to mind my own busi- ness. He insisted on having the bags to take back to Mir. Nc-man, but l doubted him-oh, yes" added the law yer shrewdly. "I doubted him. MT. Norman always did his own business and never in my experience of him employed a deputy. replied to the unknown nautical mana sailor, as you might say; be certainly smelt of rum, which, as We know, Is a nautical drink-well. Mir. Hurd, replied that 1 would take the bags round to MT. Norman myself and at once. This office is in Chancery lane. as you see. and not far from Gwynne street. so started with the bags. When reached Gwynne street found that MT. Nor man was dead and at once took the bags back to replace them in this safe, where you now behold them
 "Is there a will?" asked Hurd, rising to take his leave
 Fash screwed up his eyes and in- fated his cheeks and wriggled so mucI that the detective expected aU acrobatic performance and was disap, pointed when 1t did not come of "I really can't be sure on that point" he said softly. s'I have not yet examined the papers contained in the safe of my deceased and esteemed client. He would never allow me 10 make his will"
 Well, I'm off 10 look for your nauti cal gentleman" said Hurd.
 Do you think he is guiltyT'
 T can't say" said Hurd, smiling. ~and never speak unless I am quite sure of the truth"
 Hurd had learned a great deal about the opal brooch from Sylvia and DebO- rah, and what they told him resulted In his visiting the Charing Cross hospital to see Paul Beecot. The young man was much worried. His arm was get ting better. and the doctors assured him he would be able 10 leave the hos pitaI in a few days. but he had re- ceived a letter from his mother. whom be had informed of his accident She bewaiIed his danger and wrote with many tearS-as Paul saw from the plotted state of the letter-tbat her do nestle tyrant would not allow her to some to London to see her wounded iarIIng. This in itself was annoying .nough. but Paul was still more irri- ated and excited by the report of sarou's terrible death. which he saw b a newspaper. So much had this moved him that he was thrown into 2 ,sgh state of fever. and the 6octor re- 's,sed to allow him to read the pape-S