's sitting-room by climbing down a
spout, and I took the picture."

"But the other belonged to Van Sneck," said Chris.

"It did; and Van Sneck had to leave Amsterdam hurriedly, being wanted
by the police. Henson told me that Van Sneck had a second copy of 'The
Crimson Blind,' and I had to burgle that as well; and I had to get
into Dr. Bell's room and put the second copy in his portmanteau. Why?
Ask somebody wiser than me. It was all some deep game of Henson's,
only you may be pretty sure he didn't tell _me_ what the game was. I
got my money and returned to London, and till pretty recently I saw no
more of Henson."

"But you came into the game again," said Littimer.

"Quite lately, your lordship. I went down to Brighton. I was told as Bell
had got hold of the second Rembrandt owing to Henson's carelessness, and
that he was pretty certain to bring it here. He did bring it here, and I
tried to stop him on the way, and he half killed me."

"Those half measures are so unsatisfactory," Littimer smiled.

Merritt grinned. He fully appreciated the humour of the remark.

"That attack and the way it was brought about were suggested by Henson,"
he went on. "If it failed, I was to come up to the Castle here without
delay and tell Henson so. I came, and he covered my movements whilst I
pinched the picture. I had been told that the thing was fastened to the
wall, but a pair of steel pliers made no odds to that. I took the picture
home, and two days later it vanished. And that's all I know about it."

"Lame and impotent conclusion!" said Littimer.

"Wait a moment," Chris cried. "You found the diamond star which
you pawned--"

"At your request, miss. Don't go for to say as you've forgotten that."

"I have forgotten nothing," Chris said, with a smile. "I want to know
about the cigar-case."

Merritt looked blankly at the speaker. Evidently this was strange
ground to him.

"I don't know anything about that," he said. "What sort of a cigar-case?"

"Gun-metal set with diamonds. The same case or a similar one to that
purchased by Van Sneck from Walen's in Brighton. Come, rack your brains a
bit. Did you ever see anything of Van Sneck about the time of his
accident? You know where he is?"

"Yes. He's in the County Hospital at Brighton, He was found in Mr.
Steel's house nearly dead. It's coming back to me now. A gun-metal
cigar-case set in diamonds. That would be a dull thing with sparkling
stones all over it. Of course! Why, I