g of Preston, the young doctor who had been
studying in Germany. More than likely he had heard of and had
investigated the Frieberg "twilight sleep" treatment. We had made some
progress, even though we did not know why or by whom the drugs had been
administered.

Wade, of the Customs Service, had, as I have said, told us that he had
several secret agents about in the trade, constantly picking up bits of
information that might interest the Treasury Department. It did not
surprise Kennedy, therefore, late in the forenoon, to have Wade call up
and tell him that among the early callers at Margot's, the jeweler, was
the maid Cecilie.

"That was where she must have been before I reached the Vanderveer," I
exclaimed.

Kennedy nodded. "But why did she go there?" he asked. "And why was she
talking with Preston?"

Inasmuch as I couldn't answer the questions I didn't try, but waited
while Craig reasoned out some method of attack on them.

"Since it's known that we're working on the case of Rawaruska," he
ruminated half an hour later over an untasted lunch, "we might just as
well take the risk of seeing Margot himself. Let's go down and look his
shop over."

So in the middle of the afternoon, when Fifth Avenue was crowded with
shoppers, we paused before Margot's window, looking over the entrancing
display of precious stones gleaming out from the rich black velvet
background, and then sauntered in, like any other customers.

Kennedy engaged the salesman in talk about necklaces and lavallieres,
always leading the conversation around to the largest stones that he
saw, and dwelling particularly on those that were colored. As I
listened, trying to throw in a word now and then that would not sound
absolutely foolish, I was impressed by a feeling that Margot's, even
though it was such a fashionable place, was what might be called only a
high-class shyster's. In fact, I recalled having heard that Margot had
engineered several rather questionable transactions in gems.

"I'm much interested in orange stones," remarked Kennedy, casually
turning up a flawless white diamond and discarding it as if it did not
interest him. "Once when I was abroad I saw the famous Invincible, and a
handsomer gem than it is I never hope to see."

The clerk, ever obliging, replaced the tray before us in the safe and
retired toward the back of the shop.

"He suspects nothing, at least," whispered Kennedy.

A moment later he returned. "I'm sorry," he re