ed quietly. "My dear lady," he said, "I priced the necklace at
Cottier's in Paris the day before you purchased it. Unfortunately it was
beyond my means."

"A bit thick," commented the purser in an acid voice.

"Now, listen"--Iff turned to face him with a flush of choler--"you keep
on that way and I'll land on you if it's the last act of my gay young
life. You hear me?"

"That will do, sir!" barked the captain.

"I trust so, sincerely," replied Iff.

"Be silent!" The captain's voice ascended a full octave.

"Oh, very well, very well. I hear you--perfectly." With this the little
man subsided, smiling feebly at vacancy.

Staff interposed hastily, in the interests of peace: "The supposition
is, then, that the thief got in during those five minutes that Jane was
away from the room?"

"It couldn't have happened at any other time, of course," said Alison.

"And, equally of course, it couldn't have happened then," said Iff.

"Why not?" the woman demanded.

"The girl was gone only five minutes. That's right, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir," said Jane.

"And the door was locked--you're positive about that?"

"Quite, sir."

"Then will anyone explain how any thief could effect an entrance, pull a
heavy steamer trunk out from under a bed, get at the bag, cut a slit in
its side, extract the leather case--_and_ the collar, to be
sure--replace the bag, replace the trunk, leave the stateroom and lock
the door, all in five short minutes--and without any key?" Iff wound up
triumphantly: "I tell you, it couldn't be done; it ain't human."

"But a skeleton-key--" Manvers began.

"O you!" said Iff with a withering glance. "The door to Miss Landis'
suite opens directly opposite the head of the main companionway, which
is in constant use--people going up and down all the time. Can you see
anybody, however expert, picking a lock with a bunch of skeleton-keys in
that exposed position without being caught red-handed? Not on your vivid
imagination, young man."

"There may, however, be duplicate keys to the staterooms," Alison
countered.

"My dear lady," said Iff, humbly, "there are; and unless this ship
differs radically from others, those duplicate keys are all in the
purser's care. Am I right, Mr. Manvers?"

"Yes," said Manvers sullenly.

"And here's another point," resumed Iff. "May I ask you a question or
two, Miss Landis?" Alison nodded curtly. "You kept the handbag locked, I
presume?"

"Certainly."

"And when you found i