ven went so far as to act indignation at the festival. That was partly
for your edification and mystification. I wanted to help Mr. Mitchel's
plan. But when it occurred to me yesterday that Mr. Mitchel, if he had
meant to take the pin, would have told me in advance, I saw at once that
my first idea was wrong, and that my ruby is really gone. Then I wrote
to you."

"Then you feel sure that he would have told you in advance?"

"Positive."

"May he not have feared to ask you to implicate yourself in a robbery,
and possible scandal? You know he was liable to arrest, and it might be
a considerable time before he could have proven that his theft was only
a joke. He may have wished to spare you notoriety."

"He knows me better than that." She said this with a smile.

"How better?" asked the detective.

"I mean that he knows there is nothing that I would not risk for him,
since I have consented to give him myself. I am one of those women, Mr.
Barnes, who are not easily deterred from aiding the man of her choice."

"Do you mean that you would be willing to share unenviable notoriety
with him, and that he knew this?"

"I do, and therefore feel confident that he would have asked my
assistance if it had been his intention to take my pin."

"Just as he did on another occasion?" The detective had been leading her
up to this for the last few moments, and now watched to see the effect.
She did not change countenance, but simply said:

"What occasion?"

"The morning when he locked your maid in this room, whilst you went
down-town and took a little girl from one house to another?"

"To what other?" This was a hard one for the detective, and as he did
not reply she smiled aggravatingly, as she continued:

"Mr. Barnes, you have no proof of your assertion. You suspect that I did
what you say, but you do not know it. As I told you just now, it is
possible for a bare suspicion to lead one astray."

"Perhaps, but I do not think that I am far wrong in this instance."

"We will not discuss it. Let us return to the ruby. You told Mr. Van
Rawlston, so he tells me, that you knew in advance that this crime was
about to occur. Did you know the person who would take the pin?"

"To be perfectly frank with you, Miss Remsen, I expected that Mr.
Mitchel would take it. I think now that he did take it. Do you wish me
to continue the investigation? It may lead to your friend's losing his
wager, whereas you have the right to notify the polic