Viner, look for that man! Find him! He's the fellow these police want! If
there's been murder--"
"Keep calm, Hyde!" said Viner. "Go on, quietly."
"This man passed me and went on into the square," continued Hyde. "I went
up the passage. It was very dark, except in the middle, where there's an
old-fashioned lamp. And then I saw another man, who was lying across the
flags. I don't know that I'd any impression about him--I was too sick and
weary. I believe I thought he was drunk, or ill or something. But you
see, at the same instant that I saw him, I saw something else which drove
him clean out of my mind. In fact, as soon as I'd seen it, I never
thought about him any more, nor looked at him again."
"What was it?" demanded Viner, certain of what the answer would be.
"A diamond ring," replied Hyde. "It was lying on the flags close by
the man. The light from the lamp fell full on it. And I snatched it up,
thrust it into my pocket and ran up the passage. I ran into somebody at
the far end--it turns out to have been you. Well, you saw me hurry
off--I got as far away as I could, lest you or somebody else should
follow.
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