g who got wind of this jewel deal, and here's the very proof
that you gave every chance to this Ebers to acquaint himself with it! And
what I'd like to know now, Fullaway, is this--what use do you suppose
this young fellow made of the information he acquired? That seems to me
to be the point."

"Yes!" exclaimed Allerdyke suddenly. "That is the point!"

Fullaway smote the table.

"The thing's obvious!" he cried. "He sold his information to a gang.
There must have been--I mean must be--a gang. It's utterly impossible
that all this could have been worked by one man. The man we've heard of
in connection with the deaths of Lisette Beaurepaire and of Ebers himself
is only one of the combination. I'm as sure of that as I am that I see
you. But--who are they?"

Nobody answered this question. Allerdyke plunged his hands in his pockets
and stared at Fullaway; Mrs. Marlow began to trace imaginary patterns on
the surface of the table; Van Koon produced a penknife and began to
scrape the edges of his filbert nails with a preoccupied air.

"There's the thing I've insisted on all along, Fullaway, you know," he
said at last, finding that no one seemed inclined to speak. "I've
insisted on it, but you've always put it off. I don't care what you
say--it'll have to come to it. Let me suggest it, now, to our friends
here--they're both cute enough, I reckon!"

"Oh, as you please, as you please!" replied Fullaway, with a wave of his
hands. "Say anything you like, Van Koon--it seems as if too much couldn't
be said at this juncture."

"All right," answered Van Koon. He turned to Allerdyke and Mrs. Marlow.
"Ever since this affair was brought under my notice," he said, "I've
pointed out to Fullaway certain features in connection with it.
First--there's no evidence whatever that this plot originated in or was
worked from Russia. Second--there is evidence that it began here in
London and was carried out from London. And following on that second
proposition comes another. Fullaway knew that these jewels were
coming--"

He paused and gave the secretary a keen look. And Allerdyke, watching her
just as keenly, saw her face and eyes as calm and inscrutable as ever; it
was absolutely evident that nothing could move this woman, no chance word
or allusion take her unawares. Van Koon smiled, and leaned nearer.

"But," he said, tapping the table in emphasis of his words, "there was
somebody else who knew of this deal, somebody whose name Fullaway t