was the famous one stolen from the Van
Vrecks' agent on the _Monarchic_!

He would not be to blame, for if he had known, he would not have bought
the diamond.

And yet, _might_ he not have known? He had told her few details of his
life before they met, but he had said that it had been hard sometimes,
that he had travelled among rough people, and picked up some of their
rough ways. He had confessed frankly that his ideas of right and wrong
had got mixed and blunted. From the first he had never let her call him
good.

Would it seem dreadful to him to buy a jewel which he might guess, from
its low cost, had to be got rid of at almost any price?

Annesley was forced to admit, much as she loved Knight, that his daring,
original nature (so she called it to herself) might enter into strange
adventures and intrigues for sheer joy in taking risks. She imagined that
some wild escapade regretted too late might have led him into association
with the watchers. Maybe they had all three been members of a secret
society, she often told herself, and Knight had left against the others'
will, in spite of threats.

That would be like him; and brave and splendid as was his image in her
heart, she could not say that he would never be guilty of an act which
might be classed as unscrupulous.

This admission, instead of distressing, calmed her. Allowing that he had
certain faults seemed to chase away a dreadful thought which had pressed
near, out of sight, yet close as if it stood behind her chair, leaning
over her shoulder.

For a moment she felt happy again. She would tell Knight what she had
heard about the Malindore diamond, and how like its description was to
hers. Then, no matter how much he might hate to let it go, he must show
the blue diamond ring to Mr. Ruthven Smith and have its identity decided.

The girl drew a long breath, and determined to put the subject out of her
mind until after dinner, so that Sir Elmer Cartwright need not think her
a complete idiot.

But the deep sigh that stirred her bosom stirred also the fine gold chain
on which hung the blue diamond. The chain lay loosely on her shoulders,
lost, or almost lost among soft folds of lace. She wore it like that with
a low dress, not only to prevent it from attracting attention and making
people wonder what ornament she hid, but also because the thin band of
gold, if seen, would break the symmetry of line. It was Knight who had
given her this little piece of advi