determined to concentrate upon the recovery of the pearls upon the
following day.

* * * * *

All through a wretched night the pitiful vacancy at the foot of my bed
reminded me brutally of my loss. My poor little dog--where was he
passing these dark hours? How many more must drag their way along before
the warm white ball lay curled again in the crook of my knees? Had he
rested there for the last time? With a groan I thrust the thought from
me, but always it returned, leering hideously. Miserably I recited his
qualities--his love for me, his mettle, his beauty, his unfailing good
humour.... What naughtiness there was in him seemed very precious.
Painfully I remembered his thousand pretty ways. He had a trick of
waving his little paws, when he was tired of begging....

Small wonder that I slept ill and fitfully.

Early as I was, the others were already at breakfast when I came down.
Only Adele had not appeared.

It was a melancholy meal.

Jonah said not a word, and Berry hardly opened his mouth. There were
dark rings under Jill's grey eyes, and Daphne looked pale and tired.

A communication from the Secretary of the Brooch Dog Show, enclosing a
pass for the following day, and informing me that my Sealyham must
arrive at the Show in the charge of not more than one attendant by 11
a.m., did not tend to revive our drooping spirits. We had nearly
finished, when, with a glance at the clock, my sister set her foot upon
the bell.

As the butler entered the room--

"Send up and see if Miss Feste will breakfast upstairs, Falcon. I
think----"

"Miss Feste has breakfasted, madam."

"Already?"

"Yes, madam. Her breakfast was taken to her before eight o'clock."

"Where is she?"

"I think she's out bicycling, madam."

"Bicycling?"

The inquiry leapt from five mouths simultaneously.

"Yes, madam. She sent for me and asked if I could find 'er a lady's
bicycle, an' Greenaway was very 'appy to lend 'er 'ers, madam. An' Fitch
pumped up the tires, an' she went off about 'alf-past eight, madam."

We stared at one another in bewilderment.

"Did she say where she was going?" said Berry.

"No, sir."

"All right, Falcon."

The butler bowed and withdrew.

Amid the chorus of astonished exclamation, Berry held up his hand.

"It's very simple," he said. "She's unhinged."

"Rubbish," said his wife.

"The disappearance of Nobby, followed by the loss of her necklace, has
preyed upon he