from his shop a
pair of earrings, each one set with an unusually valuable pigeon's-blood
ruby, and gave them to Mrs. Morley. Young Morley, now in trouble, took
him this morning the two stones and asked him to buy them back. He
explained that it must be done secretly because he might be suspected of
having been implicated in a murder.

"He denied any guilt, but said it would embarrass him if the deal became
known. The owner of the shop--you understand who--could not buy them
back, but promised to raise money on them, something he'd never done
before. He was greatly affected by Morley's grief and despair. He says
the rubies are the ones he sold years ago."

"Did he raise the money?"

"He tried, but couldn't get the sum Morley wanted, seven hundred dollars.
Finally, he did advance it from his own pocket."

"And the stones? How do they compare with those on the list of Withers'
stuff?"

"Identical."

"All right; thanks. We'll see you at eight."

Braceway repeated the report to Bristow, eliciting the comment:

"Is somebody trying to make fun of us--or what is it? If those rubies
belonged to Mrs. Withers, one thing at least is certain: Morley was in
the bungalow the night of the murder, and after the murder had been
committed. Miss Fulton distinctly told me the only jewelry that had ever
passed between her and Morley was the ring found in his room in the
Brevord that morning."

Braceway laughed aloud.

"At last," he said, "You're beginning to see the light--or to appreciate
the jungle we're running around in."

He had arranged for them to meet Major Ross at the station house of
No. 7 police precinct. Since it was off the principal beats of police
reporters, Morley was detained there.

Bristow went into his bedroom, where Miss Martin gave him another dose of
strychnine. He asked her to await his return--not that he expected to be
in need of her, he said, but just to be on the safe side. He waved aside
Braceway's solicitousness about his strength.

As they stepped into the corridor, a boy handed Braceway a telegram. He
read it, and, without a word, handed it to Bristow. It said:

"Two diamonds and two emeralds, unset, apparently part of Withers
jewelry, pawned here about two-thirty this afternoon by medium-sized
man; a little slim; black moustache; high, straight nose; bushy
eyebrows; very thin lips; gray eyes; age between thirty and forty;
weight 140 pounds. Two pawnshops used. No trace of him y