eposed in Field's breast pocket he would not
have been quite so easy in his mind. But he did not know it, and Field
did not know what was transpiring inside the house. He waited a little
longer till Mary Sartoris came up. She seemed to be greatly agitated
about something; she stood in the garden hesitating. A little later, and
she was joined by Mark Ventmore. Field was glad to see so valuable an
ally here.

From his hiding-place Field could hear all that passed. It was a
satisfaction to be able to gather up such a deal of information.
Richford would have to come into the net presently, and Richford was in
England, which was more than Field had expected. Of course, with
everybody else, he had heard of the famous diamonds that Richford had
given to his wife, and supposed that before now the diamonds had been
turned into money. Into funds, Richford would have had a good chance of
getting away; as it was, he must still be in London.

"So that fellow is still here," Field chuckled. "Did she say Edward
Street? The very house that I have my eye on. We will bag all the birds.
Hullo, here come some more!"

Mark and Mary Sartoris drew back as the man and woman respectively
called Reggie and Cora came up. They had their listeners, but they did
not know it. Perhaps, if they had, they would not have made their plans
quite so openly. As it was, they had laid bare the whole of their new
scheme to the quickest ears in London. Field slipped from his
hiding-place as Reggie and Cora closed the front door behind them. Mary
gave a little scream.

"There is no occasion for alarm--at least, as far as you are concerned,
Miss Sartoris," Field said. "I have heard everything that those people
said."

"This is Inspector Field of Scotland Yard," Mark said.

Mary's lips quivered, but she said nothing. Her own instincts told her
what Field was doing here. She had always felt that the bubble must
burst some day--she had always known that her noble efforts were
altogether in vain. And yet she would have gone on sacrificing herself
to save Carl Sartoris from the fate that was inevitable.

"Are you down here on any special business?" Mark asked.

"On business connected with the disappearance of Sir Charles Darryll and
other matters," Field said. "The one thing contains the other. But you
need not have the smallest apprehension for the safety of Mrs. Richford
and her diamonds. She is not going to lose them."

"How did you know that she had thos