reply. "I saw it no more after Mr. Page returned
it to the jewel-case; I never even thought of it during the time of
which you speak."

"Were you near the concealed safe?"

"Yes, sir--although at the time I did n't know that the open trap-door
in the closet led to a safe. I saw that the small cavity was empty,
and that was all I did observe about it."

"When did you first learn about the safe?"

"When Burke showed it to Mr. Swift yesterday morning."

"Why, then, in your testimony, did you say the deceased went to the
safe after the ruby for the purpose of showing it to you?"

Maillot frowned and considered a moment.

"I did not make the assertion from knowledge of the act co-existent
with the performance of the act itself," said Maillot at length, with a
great show of deliberation. A man can't be utterly hardened who can
quiz another at such a time. "I advanced it as the most likely theory
by which to account for all of his actions during the time I waited
here in the library, explaining the antecedent occurrence with
knowledge subsequently acquired. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

The inquisitive juror stared a moment, then subsided. Dr. De Breen
turned to me with a broad grin.

"That all?" he whispered.

I nodded. "Let the axe fall; I 'm curious to see what effect it will
have."

Everybody's attention was abruptly diverted by Genevieve Cooper.
Without a word to any one, she rose precipitately, glided noiselessly
across the room to the alcove, and disappeared behind the curtains.
Blank bewilderment brought me to my feet. What could have impelled her
to this extraordinary move at such a critical stage? I started to
follow her, but at that very instant the foreman started to announce
the verdict.

Silence fell instantly. Maillot sat plucking aimlessly at the margin
of a newspaper, the tiny fragments floating unheeded to the floor;
while Miss Fluette, strikingly handsome with her transparent
complexion, her red-brown hair, and clear hazel eyes, sat imperiously
beside him, alone in her assurance as to the outcome.

The young man seemed to have forgotten her presence, so deep was his
abstraction. In a little while he pushed the paper to one side, and
began feeling idly in a pocket of his vest. His mood was distrait, and
in a moment he produced something that glittered; something that made
me start and rivet my attention upon him.

The something was a broad gold ring. He toyed with it for