ce,--"a universal
search, not of places, but of persons. But it is a harsh measure."

"A most disagreeable one," he emphasized, flushing. "Such an indignity
offered to guests would never be forgotten or forgiven."

"True, but if they offered to submit to this themselves?"

"They? How?"

"If _you_, the son of the house,--their host we may say,--should call
them together and, for your own satisfaction, empty out your pockets in
the sight of every one, don't you think that all the men, and possibly
all the women too--" (here I let my voice fall suggestively) "would be
glad to follow suit? It could be done in apparent joke."

He shook his head with a straightforward air, which raised him high in
my estimation.

"That would call for little but effrontery on my part," said he; "but
think what it would demand from these boys who came here for the sole
purpose of enjoying themselves. I will not so much as mention the
ladies."

"Yet one of the latter--"

"I know," he quietly acknowledged, growing restless for the first time.

I withdrew my eyes from his face. I had learned what I wished.
Personally he did not shrink from search, therefore the jewel was not in
his pockets. This left but two persons for suspicion to halt between.
But I disclosed nothing of my thoughts; I merely asked pardon for a
suggestion that, while pardonable in a man accustomed to handle crime
with ungloved hands, could not fail to prove offensive to a gentleman
like himself.

"We must move by means less open," I concluded. "It adds to our
difficulties, but that can not be helped. I should now like a glimpse of
Mr. Deane."

"Do you not wish to speak to him?"

"I should prefer a sight of his face first."

He led me across the hall and pointed through an open door. In the
center of a small room containing a table and some chairs, I perceived a
young man sitting, with fallen head and dejected air, staring at
vacancy. By his side, with hand laid on his, knelt a young girl,
striving in this gentle but speechless way to comfort him. It made a
pathetic picture. I drew Ashley away.

"I am disposed to believe in that young man," said I. "If he still has
the jewel, he would not try to carry off the situation in just this way.
He really looks broken-hearted."

"Oh, he is dreadfully cut up. If you could have seen how frantically he
searched for the stone, and the depression into which he fell when he
realized that it was not to be found, you would not