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"He might have borrowed it from some friend," suggested Purdie. "I thought of that, sir," said Ayscough. "It seems the natural thing to think of. But Mrs. Parslett says they haven't a friend from whom he could have borrowed such an amount not one!
And then he, Parslett, now put two and two together and had fixed on Chen Li as the culprit. And now how much, was Chen Li going to pay for silence? According to Yada, Chen Li had had little to say his chief anxiety, indeed, had been to find out what the man wanted. Parslett was definite enough about that.
"There's no doubt whatever in my own mind that the man who poisoned Parslett is the man who caused the old pawnbroker's death none! I figure it in this way. Parslett somehow, caught a glimpse of that man leaving Multenius's shop by the side-door, no doubt and knew him knew him very well, mind you!
"Then my theory is, that Parslett saw the real murderer of Daniel Multenius come out of Multenius's side-door, while he, Parslett, was standing at his own; that he recognized him, that he tried to blackmail him yesterday, and that the man contrived to poison him, in such a fashion that Parslett died shortly after leaving him," said Ayscough, confidently.
"It's but a theory but I'll lay anything I'm not far out in it!" "What reason have you for thinking that Parslett blackmailed the murderer?" asked Purdie. "This!" answered the detective, with something of triumph in his tone. "I've been making some enquiries already this morning, early as it is. When Parslett was picked up and carried to the hospital this St.
Multenius in his parlour he was counting a lot of bank- notes they must, said Parslett, have represented a large sum. The old man bade him leave the mushrooms, said he'd send him the money across presently, and motioned him out. Parslett put the dish of mushrooms aside on a chiffonier and went away.
This connection of Levendale with my late client as undoubted as it seems to have been secret needs investigation. According to Mr. Purdie here Levendale has suddenly disappeared or, at any rate, left home under mysterious circumstances. Has that disappearance anything to do with Multenius's death? Has it anything to do with the death of this next door man, Parslett, last night?
"I've no doubt whatever that Chen Li called at Multenius's shop to pay the rent; that he saw the diamond in the old man's possession and swagged him for it; that Parslett saw Chen Li slip away from that side-door and, hearing of Multenius's death, suspected Chen Li of it and tried to blackmail him; that Chen Li poisoned Parslett and that Chen Li himself was knifed for that diamond. Now by whom?
"The 20th?" observed Ayscough. He looked at Melky, who was paying great attention to the conversation. "Now let's see old Mr. Multenius met his death on the afternoon of the 18th. Parslett was poisoned on the night of the 19th. Um!" "And Parslett was picked up about half-way between the Chink's house and his own place, Mr. Ayscough don't you forget that!" muttered Melky.
Parslett pocketed the money and accepted the invitation and Yada, from his hiding-place, saw Chen Li go to the sideboard, mix whisky and soda and pour into the mixture a few drops from a phial which he took from his waistcoat pocket. Parslett drank off the contents of the glass and Chen Li went down to the gate with him. Yada followed to the front door and, through a slight opening, watched.
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