ng of the iron shutters
in the counting-room, Mademoiselle urged Mr. Reed to return the gems to
the vault before it closed.

He assured her it was entirely unnecessary, saying that larceny was a
crime unknown to Brazilians, and that he had provided for exigencies
such as this. Moving the piles of thread and embroidery silk to the side
of the table, he touched a spring, and a lid flew up. The table, though
presenting the appearance of fragility itself, was really of iron, and
contained a vault that would puzzle the most expert of burglars.

Just then Dupleisis called from the street, and both Reed and Edgar Fay
went out on the gallery to see him. He had made arrangements to spend
the night with a friend, and the three stood chatting for some minutes,
the Frenchman giving an amusing description of his adventures among the
_Brazileiros_.

Shortly afterward, Mademoiselle Milan and Fay took their leave. The wind
by this time was blowing so fiercely that no taper could live in the
gusts; so both were compelled to grope their way through the hall, which
was dark as Erebus.

The door was faithfully bolted, and the casket carefully placed in the
secret vault; but when Percy Reed awoke in the morning he found both
open, and the diamonds, worth a million, missing.

CHAPTER V.

"Mademoiselle Milan, I wish you good-evening."

The lady bowed. She was reclining on a divan, before a large mirror,
absently turning the rings on her finger; but in her simple negligee she
appeared more beautiful than ever. The long, dark ringlets gave the oval
face a look of earnestness, the fierce Italian blood glowed in her
cheeks, and the flashing brilliancy of her eyes had a restlessness that
was unusual. She was evidently suffering from nervous excitement; but
there was a fascinating grace in every movement, and even in the easy
indolence of her position.

"Take a seat on that sofa, by the side of my little dog. Is he not
pretty?"

"Very," replied Dupleisis; "but I am more interested in his mistress. We
have not met for a week,--not, in fact, since two thieves robbed Mr.
Reed of a fortune."

Dupleisis said this with pointed significance; but the lady preserved
the coolest unconcern.

"The muse of the foot-lights is the most jealous of mistresses."

"True," replied Dupleisis; "but in this case she has had rivals."

"I choose to amuse myself with a crowd, who eat my suppers and make me
laugh."

"And among the jesters you number the