Jasher."
"But what had Mrs. Jasher to do with him?" demanded Random
sharply.
"Well, it's odd," replied Hope slowly, "but Mrs. Bolton declares
that her son was in love with Mrs. Jasher, and when he returned
from Malta intended to marry her."
"Impossible!" cried Sir Frank. "She engaged herself to Braddock."
"But only after Bolton's death, remember."
Don Pedro nodded.
"That is true. But what you say, Mr. Hope, proves the truth of
Hervey's theory."
"In what way?"
"Mrs. Jasher, as we know from what Random told us, wanted money.
She would not marry a man who was poor. Bolton was poor, but of
course the emeralds would make him wealthy, as they are of
immense value. Probably he intended to steal them in order to
marry this woman. This implicates Mrs. Jasher in the crime."
"Yes," assented Sir Frank, nodding. "But as Bolton did not know
that the emeralds existed before he bought the mummy in Malta, I
do not see why he should borrow a disguise beforehand for Mrs.
Jasher to meet him at the Sailor's Rest."
"The thing is easily settled," said Hope impatiently. "Let us
both go to Mrs. Jasher's this evening, and insist upon the truth
being told. If she confesses about her secret engagement to
Sidney Bolton, she may admit that the clothes were borrowed for
her.
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