rocure gun-metal cigar-case for him to
look at. Ask if he was a tall man with a thin beard and a face slightly
pock-marked. Then telephone result to me here. Quite safe, as Henson is
away. Great discoveries to tell you.--CHRISTABEL LEE."

Chris paid for her telegram and then drove thoughtfully homeward.

CHAPTER XLVIII

WHERE IS RAWLINS?

Lord Littimer was greatly interested in all that Chris had to say. The
whole story was confided to him after dinner. Over his coffee on the
terrace he offered many shrewd suggestions.

"There is one thing wherein you have made a mistake," he said. "And that
is in your idea that Henson changed those cigar-cases after Miss Gates
laid your votive offering on Steel's doorstep."

"How else could it be done?" Chris said.

"My dear, the thing is quite obvious. You have already told me that
Henson was quite aware what you were going to do--at least that he knew
you were going to consult Steel. Also he knew that you were going to make
Steel a present, and by a little judicious eavesdropping he contrived to
glean all about the cigar-case. The fellow has already admitted to your
sister that he listened. How long was that before you bought the
cigar-case?"

"I should say it might have been a week. We had inquiries to make, you
know. In the first instance we never dreamt of offering Mr. Steel money.
I blush to think of that folly."

"Well, blush a little later on when you have more time. Then Henson had a
week to work out his little scheme. He knows all about the cigar-case; he
knows where it is going to be bought. Then he goes to Lockhart's and
purchases some trifle in the shape of a cigar-case; he has it packed up,
yellow string and all. This is his dummy. By keeping his eyes open he
gets the chance he is waiting for. Ruth Gates hadn't the faintest idea
that he knew anything when she left that case the day she bought it
within reach of Henson. He gets her out of the way for a minute or two,
he unties the parcel, and places the Van Sneck case in it. No, by Jove,
he needn't have bought anything from Lockhart's at all. I only thought of
that to account for the yellow string and the stamped paper that
Lockhart's people use. He first takes one case out of the parcel and
replaces it with another, and there you are. You may depend upon it that
was the way in which it was done."

The more Chris thought over the matter the more certain she felt that
such was the case. Like most apparen