r ladyship, there is nothing more to be said. I
conceive it, however, to be my duty to tell you that in our opinion--the
opinion of Scotland Yard--there are things about the career of Mr.
Peter Ruff which need explanation. He is a person whom we seldom let
altogether out of our sight."

Lady Mary laughed frankly.

"My dear Mr. Dory," she said, "this is one of the cases, then, in which
I can assure you that I know more than Scotland Yard. There is no person
in the world in whom I have more confidence, and with more reason, than
Mr. Peter Ruff."

John Dory bowed.

"I thank your ladyship," he said. "I trust that your confidence will
never be misplaced. May I ask one more question?"

"Certainly," Lady Mary replied, "so long as you make no insinuations
whatever against my friend."

"I should be very sorry to do so," John Dory declared. "I simply wish
to know whether Mr. Ruff has any instructions from you with reference to
the care of your jewels?"

"Certainly not," Lady Mary replied, decidedly. "Mr. Ruff is here
entirely as my guest. He has been in the room with the rest of us, to
look at them, and it was he, by the bye, who discovered a much more
satisfactory way of boarding the windows. Anything else, Mr. Dory?"

"I thank your ladyship, nothing!" the detective answered. "With your
permission, I propose to remain here until after the ceremony."

"Just as you like, of course," Lady Mary said. "I hope you will be
comfortable."

John Dory bowed, and returned to confer with his sergeant. Afterwards,
finding the morning still fine, he took his hat and went for a walk in
the park.

As a matter of fact, this, in some respects the most remarkable of
the adventures which had ever befallen Mr. Peter Ruff, came to him by
accident. Lady Mary had read the announcement of his marriage in the
paper, had driven at once to his office with a magnificent present, and
insisted upon his coming with his wife to the party which was assembling
at Clenarvon Court in honor of her own approaching wedding. Peter
Ruff had taken few holidays of late years, and for several days had
thoroughly enjoyed himself. The matter of the Clenarvon jewels he
considered, perhaps, with a slight professional interest; but so far as
he could see, the precautions for guarding them were so adequate that
the subject did not remain in his memory. He had, however, a very
distinct and disagreeable shock when, on the night of John Dory's
appearance, he recognize