the snobbish response.

"The mask?"

"It looked like a silk handkerchief tied across his nose. It was
dark in tone; but I could get only a dim impression."

Malcolm Sage inclined his head comprehendingly.

"You know Mrs. Comminge?"

"Intimately."

"You mentioned two jewel-cases," he said.

"The one stolen contained those I mostly wear," replied Lady
Glanedale; "in the other I keep some very valuable family jewels."

"What was the value of those stolen?"

"About 8,000 pounds," she replied, "possibly more. I should explain,
perhaps, that Sir Roger was staying in town last night, and so far I
have not been able to get him on the telephone. He was to have
stayed at the Ritzton; but apparently he found them full and went
elsewhere."

"You have no suspicion as to who it was that entered your room?"

"None whatever," said Lady Glanedale.

"The police have already been?" he enquired, as he examined with
great intentness a rose he had taken from a bowl beside him.

"Yes, they came shortly after we telephoned. They gave instructions
that nothing was to be touched in the room, and no one was to go
near the ground beneath the windows."

Malcolm Sage nodded approvingly, and returned the rose to the bowl.

"And now," he said, "I think I should like to see the room. By the
way, I take it that you keep your safe locked?"

"Always," said Lady Glanedale.

"Where do you keep the key?"

"In the bottom right-hand drawer of my dressing-table, under a pile
of handkerchiefs."

"As soon as you can I should like to see a list of the jewels," said
Malcolm Sage, as he followed Lady Glanedale towards the door.

"My maid is copying it out now," she replied, and led the way up the
staircase, along a heavily-carpeted corridor, at the end of which
she threw open a door giving access to a bedroom.

Malcolm Sage entered and gave a swift look about him, seeming to
note and catalogue every detail. It was a large room, with two
windows looking out on to a lawn. On the right was a door, which,
Lady Glanedale explained, led to Sir Roger's dressing-room.

He walked over to the window near the dressing-room and looked out.

"That is the window he must have entered by; he went out that way,"
explained Lady Glanedale.

"You spoke of a stepson," said Malcolm Sage. "He is a man, I
presume?"

"He is twenty-three." Lady Glanedale elevated her eyebrows as if
surprised at the question.

"Can you send for him?"

"Certainly, if you w