lling eavesdropper, for the voices rose, and I
caught the following words from Vyner:

"Can you lend me five thousand pounds till the winter?"

"No, Vyner, I have told you so before, and the reason too. It is your
own fault, and you must take the consequences."

"Do you mean that to be final?" asked Vyner.

"Yes."

"Very well, then I shall look after myself. Thank God, I have got brains
if I have not money, and I shall not let the means interfere with the
end."

"You can go to the devil for all I care," was the angry answer, "and,
after what I know, I won't raise a finger to help you."

The speakers had evidently moved further off, for the last words I could
not catch. But what little I heard by no means conduced to slumber. So
Vyner, for all his jovial and easy manner, was in a fix for money, and
Ridsdale knew something about him scarcely to his credit!

I kept thinking over this, and also recalling his words when he spoke of
Lady Ridsdale's diamonds as representing a fortune. What did he mean by
saying that he would not let the means interfere with the end? That
brief sentence sounded very much like the outburst of a desperate man. I
could not help heartily wishing that Lady Ridsdale's diamond circlet was
back in London, and, just before I dropped to sleep, I made up my mind
to speak to Ridsdale on the subject.

Towards morning I did doze off, but I was awakened by hearing my name
called, and, starting up, I saw Ridsdale standing by my side. His face
looked queer and excited.

"Wake up, Bell," he cried; "a terrible thing has happened."

"What is it?" I asked.

"My wife's bracelet is stolen."

Like a flash I thought of Vyner, and then as quickly I knew that I must
be careful to give no voice to hastily-formed suspicions.

"I won't be a moment dressing, and then I'll join you," I said.

Ridsdale nodded and left my cabin.

In five minutes I was with him on deck. He then told me briefly what had
happened.

"Helena most imprudently left the case on her dressing-table last
night," he said, "and owing to the heat she kept the window open. Some
one must have waded into the water in the dark and stolen it. Perhaps
one of the bandsmen may have noticed the flashing of the diamonds on
her wrist and returned to secure the bracelet--there's no saying. The
only too palpable fact is that it is gone--it was valued at twenty
thousand pounds!"

"Have you sent for the police?" I asked.

"Yes, and have also wired