vereigns in his pocket, and laughed when
they made a pleasant sound. Still eagerly peering at all the articles
on the mantel-piece his quick eyes presently detected amongst a heap
of rubbish and odds and ends Noel's valuable signet-ring; it was of
heavy workmanship, and its gold alone made it worth money.

"Why, Isaacs the Jew would give me two pound ten, or perhaps three
pounds for this," queried Dove. "It has plainly been forgotten here,
and if the gent does miss it he'll lay the blame on that fine fellow
Lawson."

It took a very small parley with Dove's seared conscience to make him
pocket the ring, and by the time Lawson returned to the house the
five-pound note had also been appropriated. Dove whistled more
cheerily than ever over his work that afternoon, and in the evening he
went home quite unsuspecting any little trap which might have been set
for him.

He had scarcely gone before a boy arrived with a telegram directed to
Lawson, and with a reply pre-paid. Lawson read the following words:--

"Look on the mantel-piece in my sitting-room for a blank envelope,
open, which contains a five-pound note--No. 11267. I also left my ring
in the cigar tray. Wire reply if note and ring are safe.--ARTHUR
NOEL."

The address to reply to was added.

Poor Lawson spent an agonized ten minutes in searching over the
contents of the mantel-piece. In the end he had to fill in the reply
telegram with the news that nowhere could the five-pound note nor the
ring be found.

A little over two hours passed, and again the worthy servant was
startled by a telegraphic dispatch. This was what it contained:--

"Have reasons to believe that the painter Dove is the thief. Go
instantly to the nearest police-station, give them the number of the
note, and go with one of their staff to Dove's house. His address is,
10, Eden Street, Junction Road, Holloway. The note and ring will
probably be found on his person. Get him apprehended if possible. Take
all necessary cabs.--ARTHUR NOEL."

Thus it came to pass that when that evening Dove sat down tranquilly
to a luxurious supper of lobster salad, chops, and bottled stout, he
was unpleasantly interrupted. When two policemen, accompanied by
Lawson, came into his room, he was guilty of using very violent
language, and altogether conducted himself in a most excited manner;
but, notwithstanding his resistance, and Mrs. Dove's hysterics, and
some terribly distressing chuckles, really sounding more li