te detective
drew from his pocket a memorandum book, and from thence a slip of paper,
which he handed to Constance.

"That is my statement," he said.

She ran her eye over the itemized account, smiling a little as she did
so. Then, rising swiftly, she said:

"Excuse me for one moment."

He bowed silently, and she went out, returning soon with a bank cheque,
which she placed in his hands, saying:

"So ends the case of the Wardour diamonds. I shall not take it up
again."

"What! do you really mean that?"

"I really do."

The detective opened his lips, as if about to remonstrate, then closed
them suddenly, and moved toward the door.

"Do you still cling to your intention of notifying the town authorities,
and setting them upon Doctor Heath?" she asked.

He turned toward her, with a peculiar smile upon his face.

"You have offered a reward for your jewels, I believe?"

"You mistake, I have offered a reward for the apprehension of the thief
or thieves."

"And--as you have withdrawn the case, shall you withdraw your reward
also?"

"By no means."

"Then--if I bring you both the jewels and the thieves my reward should
be doubled?"

A queer gleam shot from her eyes, as she answered, without hesitation:

"And so I shall. Place my robbers in the county jail, and put my
diamonds in my hands, and you shall receive a double reward."

"Then, for the present, I shall keep my clews in my own hands; Miss
Wardour, I wish you good morning." And the private detective stalked
from the room with the air of a man who was overflowing with desirable
information.

"That's a queer woman," mused Mr. Belknap, as he turned his face away
from Wardour. "I can't make her out. If it were not altogether too
fishy, I should say she had a suspicion concerning those diamonds. I
intend to look a little closer into the doings of Miss Wardour; and,
blow hot, or blow cold, I'm bound to have my reward, if not by this, why
by that."

With this enigmatical reflection, he looked up to behold, sitting by the
roadside, a tramp of sinister aspect, who turned his head indolently as
the detective approached, and then applied himself closer to a luncheon
of broken victuals, eating like a man famished. Mr. Belknap, who, on
this occasion, had visited Wardour on foot, came quite close upon the
man, and then halted suddenly, putting his hand in his pocket, as if
with charitable intent; instantly the tramp dropped his fragment of
bread, and sprang