our plans. That man with a
white spot in his hair was my father--'

"'What! Your father is bald.'

"'He wore a wig then. The white spot came from dropping chemicals on
the wig while experimenting with a substance which you could not
comprehend.'

"'Then--then that clew was useless; but who could have taken the
Crimson Diamond? And who was the man with the white spot on his head
who tried to sell the stone in Paris?'

"'That was my father.'

"'He--he--st--took the Crimson Diamond!' I cried, aghast.

"'Yes and no. That was only a paste stone that he had in Paris. It
was to draw you over here. He had the real Crimson Diamond also.'

"'Your father?'

"'Yes. He has it in the next room now. Can you not see how it
disappeared, Harold? Why, the cat swallowed it!'

"'Do you mean to say that the white tabby swallowed the Crimson
Diamond?'

"'By mistake. She tried to get it out of the velvet bag, and, as the
bag was also full of catnip, she could not resist a mouthful, and
unfortunately just then you broke in the door and so startled the cat
that she swallowed the Crimson Diamond.'

"There was a painful pause. At last I said:

"'Wilhelmina, as you are able to vanish, I suppose you also are able
to converse with cats.'

"'I am,' she replied, trying to keep back the tears of mortification.

"'And that cat told you this?'

"'She did.'

"'And my Crimson Diamond is inside that cat?'

"'It is.'

"'Then,' said I, firmly, 'I am going to chloroform the cat.'

"'Harold!' she cried, in terror, 'that cat is your great-aunt!'

"I don't know to this day how I stood the shock of that announcement,
or how I managed to listen while Wilhelmina tried to explain the
transmigration theory, but it was all Chinese to me. I only knew that
I was a blood relation of a cat, and the thought nearly drove me mad.

"'Try, my darling, try to love her,' whispered Wilhelmina; 'she must
be very precious to you--'

"'Yes, with my diamond inside her,' I replied, faintly.

"'You must not neglect her,' said Wilhelmina.

"'Oh no, I'll always have my eye on her--I mean I will surround her
with luxury--er, milk and bones and catnip and books--er--does she
read?'

"'Not the books that human beings read. Now, go and speak to your
aunt, Harold.'

"'Eh! How the deuce--'

"'Go; for my sake try to be cordial.'

"She rose and led me unresistingly to the door of my room.

"'Good Heavens!' I groaned; 'this is awful.'

"'Courage, my darling