"I did not. Sir, I swear to you on my honour, and before Heaven, that
I did not."

"Very well," said I: "Captain Murray asserts that he found this
among the moneys you had been staking at cards. Do you question that
assertion?"

He answered almost without pondering. "No, sir. Captain Murray is a
gentleman, and incapable of falsehood. If he says so, it was so."

"Very well again. Now, can you explain how this coin came into your
possession?"

At this he seemed to hesitate; but answered at length, "No, I cannot
explain."

"Have you any idea? Or can you form any guess?"

Again there was a long pause before the answer came in low and
strained tones: "I can guess."

"What is your guess?"

He lifted a hand and dropped it hopelessly. "You would not believe,"
he said.

I will own a suspicion flashed across my mind on hearing these
words--the very excuse given a while ago by Mr. Urquhart--that the
whole affair was a hoax and the two young men were in conspiracy to