"West Hampstead"), and simplified things for himself by pointing to the
last sentence.

Mrs. Nelson Smith always wears a thin gold chain round her neck, which
she lets drop to her shoulders for evening dress. What precious thing
which has to be hidden hangs on that chain? Mr. Ruthven Smith is
advised to find out.

"I see now," the unfortunate man excused himself, "that someone has been
taking advantage of my anxiety about the losses of my firm to play a
cruel practical joke on me. I can't help thinking, at the same time,
that the person must have had a grudge against you and your wife also."

"Or else a desire to make mischief between you and us," was Knight's calm
suggestion.

Ruthven Smith caught it up, eagerly. "Ah, that possibility hadn't
occurred to me."

"I suppose we all have enemies." Knight pursued the subject without
excitement. "The writer probably wished to put the idea in your head that
I had deliberately bought an historic diamond which I knew to be stolen."

"But that would have been ridiculous!" exclaimed the jewel expert, and
felt sincere in making his protest.

Nevertheless, he had glanced at Annesley's face while talking of the
Malindore diamond to Lady Cartwright. It had been on the edge of his mind
that, if she looked self-conscious, it would be a point against her and
her husband. Also he had determined to make his daring attempt at
discovery before she had time to get rid of the diamond if she were
hiding it. Now, however, in the light of her shining innocence, he had
almost forgotten that he had suspected an underhand design on her part.

He asked Nelson Smith if he could think of any one, man or woman, among
his acquaintances capable of writing the anonymous letter. Nelson Smith
replied that his brain was a blank, and that he hardly thought it worth
while to follow the matter up, unless Ruthven Smith wished to do so. In
that case they might put the affair in the hands of the police.

But the elder man was of the younger's opinion. He had made a fool of
himself, and was ashamed that he had attached importance to an unsigned
communication. All he desired was to let the unpleasant business drop.

This being settled, Knight, in whose hand was the typewritten letter,
tossed the thing into the fireplace of the library, where the two had
been talking. When he and Ruthven Smith had shaken hands and agreed to
forget the whole incident the latter was glad to escape from the
interview.