g, and--well, there you are. Ah, she was the very embodiment of
craft and cunning, that lady: cut her off at one door and she would make
her way round to the other.

"Wasn't aware that it was anything of that sort, dear chap, or I
shouldn't have asked," said Cleek, responding with the utmost serenity
to young Raynor's remark. "Of course you couldn't do anything of that
sort, so it was deuced wise of you to ignore the hint. Rum what fancies
women of that sort have, eh? And how blessed crafty they are in getting
what they want! You look out, dear boy, that she doesn't come over here
after that bracelet. Lay you a sov that's why she got you to take charge
of it."

"Lay you another it isn't," replied the young man, with a smile of
confidence. "You don't know the facts, dear boy, or you wouldn't jump to
such silly conclusions. She gave it to me because the blessed thing
would keep coming undone and falling off and interfering with our
waltzing. Besides, it wasn't she--it was I--that suggested that I should
put it in my pocket for safe keeping until the dancing was over; and,
like a blithering idiot, you see, I forgot all about it. Blessed lucky
thing for me that I had to lend you a suit of evening clothes, b'gad, or
I might not have found the bracelet for heaven knows how long."

"And a blessed lucky thing for me that you turned up in time to lend it
to me," said Cleek, in reply. "Never was in such a beastly funk in all
my life, dear chap. Could have said a prayer, if I knew any, I was so
blessed glad when I looked out and saw you standing in the passage. I
say, how did you come to be there, Raynor? Thought you were heaven knows
how far away, and blest if I can think where you came from."

"Popped out of St. Ulmer's room. Next one to yours. Was in there when
that sneak thief appeared."

"In there? My hat! What a rum idea! Thought you didn't care for the old
josser. At least, you spoke as though you didn't this afternoon; and to
have you sitting in there and kow-towing to a gouty old sick man----"

"Wasn't sitting in there, dear boy. Had just popped in on my way up to
dress. Evening papers full of that business at Gleer Cottage last night.
Bought several of them at the railway station. Happened to think that,
maybe, the old bounder hadn't read the news and would be interested in
it, so just dropped in to give them to him. That was all."

"Oh, I see," said Cleek. "That accounts for it, of course. Wondered how
the dicken