's chagrin.
The cigarette-box was tied up, and the string sealed, oddly enough,
with the diamond of the ring that had been bought and paid for.

"I'll chance you having another ring in the store the dead spit of
mine," laughed Raffles, as he relinquished the box, and it disappeared
into the tradesman's bag. "And now, Mr. Robinson, I hope you'll
appreciate my true hospitality in not offering you any thing to drink
while business was in progress. That's Chateau Margaux, sir, and I
should judge it's what you'd call an eighteen-carat article."

In the cab which we took to the vicinity of the flat, I was instantly
snubbed for asking questions which the driver might easily overhear,
and took the repulse just a little to heart. I could make neither
head nor tail of Raffles's dealings with the man from Regent Street,
and was naturally inquisitive as to the meaning of it all. But I held
my tongue until we had regained the flat in the cautious manner of our
exit, and even there until Raffles rallied me with a hand on either
shoulder and an old smile upon his face.

"You rabbit!" said he. "Why couldn't you wait till we got home?"

"Why couldn't you tell me what you were going to do?" I retorted as of
yore.

"Because your dear old phiz is still worth its weight in innocence, and
because you never could act for nuts! You looked as puzzled as the
other poor devil; but you wouldn't if you had known what my game really
was."

"And pray what was it?"

"That," said Raffles, and he smacked the cigarette-box down upon the
mantelpiece. It was not tied. It was not sealed. It flew open from
the force of the impact. And the diamond ring that cost L95, the
necklet for L200, and my flaming star at another L100, all three lay
safe and snug in the jeweller's own cotton-wool!

"Duplicate boxes!" I cried.

"Duplicate boxes, my brainy Bunny. One was already packed and
weighted, and in my pocket. I don't know whether you noticed me
weighing the three things together in my hand? I know that neither of
you saw me change the boxes, for I did it when I was nearest buying the
bee-brooch at the end, and you were too puzzled, and the other Johnny
too keen. It was the cheapest shot in the game; the dear ones were
sending old Theobald to Southampton on a fool's errand yesterday
afternoon, and showing one's own nose down Regent Street in broad
daylight while he was gone; but some things are worth paying for, and
certain risks one