gmatic conduct while we
were examining the hidden safe might be construed as innuendo
deliberately planned. On the other hand, if he were innocent, and
considering that the two had been alone, then he might honestly have
believed Maillot to be guilty, but was reluctant to make a charge which
he was unable to defend with tangible proof. The circumstance of their
stories agreeing in all essentials verified my conclusion that both had
told the truth; still it was possible that either of them might not
have told all the truth.

Again, I was convinced by the manners of both that there was more
behind the tragedy than had been made to appear, excepting by the
haziest sort of allusion; a potential factor whose existence had been
barely suggested, whose nature remained entirely obscure. On the
surface it looked as if somebody had slain Felix Page and stolen the
ruby. Simple enough. But was this all? I was sure not.

The point, though, that I wish to make is this: whatever the prime
motive for the murder might have been, Maillot had not the slightest
idea respecting it, nor did he even suspect that such a motive existed.
He was still too dazed from the whirl of events of the past twenty-four
hours to consider the matter in any other light than the way in which
it most nearly affected himself.

As for Burke, I was pretty much in doubt. I felt that he knew
something that he was keeping in reserve, but what it might be or how
to get hold of him and force the information from him I did not at this
stage know.

If anything at all about the puzzle was clear, it was that the two had
not and were not working together. Individually, the evidence--such as
it was--more strongly indicated Maillot. It was at this moment that I
looked toward Miss Cooper and decided.

"Maillot," said I, tersely, "it's up to you and Burke to submit to a
personal search."

He flushed hotly, but maintained his attitude of calm. I did not dare
a glance in Miss Fluette's direction.

"Candidly," I added, "I don't think you have the ruby--for that matter,
I don't think Burke has either. But such a proceeding is only fair to
me, for if I turn you two chaps loose I 'm taking all the chances. I
ought to be bundling you both off to jail; I don't want to do that, you
see, and I deserve some sort of--"

"Enough," Maillot cut in. "I believe you 're a good fellow, Swift; I
have no objection to you going over me with a microscope."

He rose at once, e