d, receiver at ear. "Yes? Hello?"

But instead of the masculine accents of the exchange-manager he heard,
for the third time that night, the voice of Miss Searle.

"Yes," he replied almost breathlessly--"it is I, Miss Searle. Thank
Heaven you called up! I've been worrying silly--"

"We were cut off," the girl's voice responded. He noted, subconsciously,
that she was speaking slowly and carefully, as if with effort.... "Cut
off," she repeated as by rote, "and I had trouble getting you again."

"Then you're--you're all right?"

"Quite, thank you. I had an unpleasant experience trying to get to you
by taxicab. The motor broke down coming through Central Park, and I had
to walk home and lost my way. But I am all right now--just tired out."

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "It's too bad; I was quite ready to call
for the--you understand--and save you the trouble of the trip down here.
But I'm glad you've had no more unpleasant adventure."

"The necklace is safe," the girl's voice told him with the same deadly
precision of utterance.

"Oh, yes; I assumed that. And I may call for it?"

"If you please--today at noon. I am so tired I am afraid I shan't get up
before noon."

"That'll be quite convenient to me, thank you," he assured her. "But
where are you stopping?"

There fell a brief pause. Then she said something indistinguishable.

"Yes?" he said. "Beg pardon--I didn't get that. A little louder please,
Miss Searle."

"The St. Regis."

"Where?" he repeated in surprise.

"The St. Regis. I am here with Mrs. Ilkington--her guest. Good night,
Mr. Staff."

"Good morning," he laughed; and at once the connection was severed.

"And that's all right!" he announced cheerfully, swinging round to face
Iff. "She was in a taxicab accident and got lost in Central Park--just
got home, I infer. The necklace is safe and I'm to call and get it at
twelve o'clock."

"Where's she stopping?" demanded Iff, shaking his little head as though
impatient. Staff named the hotel, and Iff fairly jumped. "Why that's
impossible!" he cried. "She can't afford it."

"How do you happen to know she can't?" enquired Staff, perplexed.

Momentarily Iff showed a face of confusion. "I know a lot of things," he
grumbled, evasively.

Staff waited a moment, then finding that the little man didn't purpose
making any more adequate or satisfactory explanation, observed: "It
happens that she's Mrs. Ilkington's guest, and I fancy Mrs. Ilkington
can a