r hands against her temples.

"The necklace was stolen from Raoul by a thief, who must have been one
of the most expert in the world. Can you imagine Raoul's feelings? He
came to me in despair, asking my advice. What was he to do? He dared not
appeal to the police, or the Duchess's secret would come out. And he
couldn't bear to tell her of the loss, not only because it would be such
a blow to her, as she was depending on the money from the sale of the
jewels, but because she knew that he was in some difficulties, and
_might_ be tempted to believe that he'd only pretended the diamonds were
stolen--while really he'd sold them for his own use."

"As she's fond of him, and trusts him, probably she would have thought
no such thing," I tried to comfort Maxine. "But certainly, it was a
rather bad fix."

"Rather bad fix! Oh, you laconic creatures, Englishmen. All you think of
is to hide your feelings behind icy words. As for me--well, there was
nothing I wouldn't have done to help him--nothing. My life would have
been a small thing to give. I would have given my soul. And already a
thought came flashing into my mind. I begged Raoul to wait, and say
nothing to the Duchess, who didn't even know yet that he'd come back
from Amsterdam. The thought in my mind was about the commission from
your Secretary for Foreign Affairs. As I told you, I'd just sent him
word in the usual cypher and through the usual channels, that I couldn't
do what he wanted. He'd offered me eight thousand pounds to undertake
the service, and four more if I succeeded. I believed I could succeed if
I tried. And with the few thousands I'd saved up, and selling such
jewels as I had, I could make up the sum Raoul had been told to ask for
the necklace. Then he could give it to the Duchess, and she need never
know that the diamonds had been stolen. All that night I lay awake
thinking, thinking. Next day, at a time when I knew Raoul would be
working in his office, I went to see him there, and cheered him up as
well as I could. I told him that in a few days I hoped to have eighteen
or twenty thousand pounds in my hands--all for him. To let him have the
money would make me happier than I'd ever been. At first he said he
wouldn't take it from me--I knew he would say that! But, at last, after
I'd cried and begged, and persuaded, he consented; only it was to be a
loan, and some how, some time, he would pay me back. In that office
there are several great safes; and when we