to make a clean breast
of it to Lord Littimer. He procures the ring from his strong box, and
then he makes a discovery."

"Which is more than I have. Pray proceed."

"He discovers that he has not got the real Prince Rupert's ring."

Rawlins looked up with a slightly puzzled air.

"Will you kindly tell me what you mean?" he said.

"It was a forgery. Van Sneck made a copy from a mere description. That
copy served its purpose with a vengeance, and is now at the bottom of the
North Sea. I need not go into details, because it is a family secret, and
does not concern our conversation at all. At that time the _real_ ring
came into Henson's possession, and he wanted a copy to hold over the head
of an unfortunate lady whom he would have ruined before long. You told me
just now that Van Sneck had fallen in love with Prince Rupert's ring and
could hardly bear to part with it. He didn't."

"No? But how could he retain it?"

"Quite easily. The copy was quite faithful, but still _it was_ a copy.
But secretly Van Sneck makes a copy that would deceive everybody but an
expert, and this he hands over to--"

"To Henson as the real ring," Rawlins cried, excitedly.

Chris smiled, a little pleased at her acumen.

"Precisely," she said. "I see that you are inclined to be of my opinion."

"Well, upon my word, I am," Rawlins confessed. "But I don't quite
see why--"

"Please let me finish," Chris went on, excitedly. "Reginald Henson is
driven back on his last trenches. He has to get the ring for Lord
Littimer. He takes out the ring after all these years, never dreaming
that Van Sneck would dare to play such a trick upon him, and finds out
the forgery. Did you ever see that man when he is really angry?"

"He is not pretty then," Rawlins said.

"Pretty! He is murder personified. Kindly try to imagine his feelings
when he discovers he has been deceived. Mind you, this is only a theory
of mine, but I feel certain that it will prove correct. Henson's last
hope is snatched away from him. But he does not go straight to Van Sneck
and accuse him of his duplicity. He knows that Van Sneck stole the ring
for sheer love of the gem, and that he would not dare to part with it. He
assumes that the ring is in Van Sneck's possession. And when Van Sneck
threatened to expose part of the business to Mr. Steel, Henson makes no
attempt to soothe him. Why? Because he sees a cunning way of getting back
the ring. He himself lures Van Sneck to Mr. Steel's