for the weather was
springlike, even in February; and people were ready to enjoy everything.
The one blot on the general brightness was a series of robberies.
Something happened on an average of every ten or twelve days, and always
in an unexpected quarter, where the police were not looking.

Among the first to suffer were Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Smith. The Portman
Square house was broken into, the thief entering a window of the "den"
on the ground floor, and making a clean sweep of all the jewellery
Knight and Annesley owned except her engagement ring, the string of
pearls which had been her lover's wedding gift, and the wonderful blue
diamond on its thin gold chain. These things she wore by night as well as
day; but a gold-chain bag, a magnificent double rope of pearls, a diamond
dog-collar, several rings, brooches, and bangles which Knight had given
her since their marriage, all went.

His pearl studs, his watch (a present out of Annesley's allowance,
hoarded for the purpose), and a collection of jewelled scarf-pins shared
the fate of his wife's treasures.

Unfortunately, a great deal of the Annesley-Seton family silver went at
the same time, regretted by Knight far beyond his own losses. Dick was
inclined to be solemn over such a haul, but Constance laughed.

"Who cares?" she said. "We've no children, and for my part I'm as pleased
as Punch that your horrid old third cousins will come into less when
we're swept off the board. Meanwhile, we get the insurance money for
'loss of use' again. It's simply splendid. And that dear Nelson Smith
insists on buying the best Sheffield plate to replace what's gone. It's
handsomer than the real!"

Neither she nor Dick lost any jewellery, though they possessed a little
with which they had not had the courage to part. And this seemed
mysterious to Constance. She wondered over it: and remembering how the
Countess de Santiago had prophesied another robbery for them, telephoned
to ask if she'd be "a darling, and look again in her crystal."

Madalena telephoned back: "I'll expect you this afternoon at four
o'clock."

CHAPTER XIV

THE TEST

Madalena had meant to go out that afternoon, but she changed her mind and
stopped at home. "I know what you've come for," she said, as she kept
Connie's hand in hers. It was an effective way she had, as if contact
with a person helped her to read the condition of that person's mind.

"Do you really?" exclaimed Constance. "Why, I--but y