J. S. Fletcher

“ They both looked very troubled and very shy, and were evidently awestruck at the notion of interviewing and being interviewed by the great Paul Campenhaye—who was not quite so clever, perhaps, as they thought him.
“Now, Miss Manning,” I said in my cheeriest manner, as soon as we had all sat down, “the first thing for you to do is for you to keep up your spirits. I have heard all about this business, and, of course, I am sure you did not take Mrs. Duquesne’s ring. Equally, of course, the Duke of Saxonstowe doesn’t think so, either, and never did.” ”

“ Before I could do anything, Mrs. Duquesne took action. She communicated that very night with the authorities of Scotland Yard.”
“Ah!” I said, “sending them, no doubt, a full description of the ring.”
“Just so,” replied the duke, looking at me as if he were a little surprised that I should think of that. “She did; and the result was that the Scotland Yard people found that the ring had been pledged that very morning, at half-past ten o’clock, with a firm named Leiter & Nott, who are, I understand, very well-known pawnbrokers in London.” ”

“ I said nothing to him of what was going to happen, but I think he guessed that I had discovered something in Miss Manning’s favour.
The Duke of Saxonstowe was out when I reached the house; he had motored to some adjacent town on business. But Lady Louisa was at home, and I asked to see her, and in due course was ushered into her sanctum. I do not think she was particularly pleased to know that I had returned, or to be asked for; ladies of her temperament are always doubtful of people who live by their brains—or, as they term it, wits. ”

“ Manning know that his sister’s ring was set with diamonds?”
“No,” replied the duke, “he did not; more’s the pity! He knew that a valuable ring had been bequeathed to his sister, but did not know whether it was of diamonds, pearls, or what. In her letter to him, Miss Manning merely said that she sent him Mrs. Trevarthen’s ring, and begged him to pledge it in such a way that he and she could redeem it between them. He, finding an opal ring in the registered packet which his sister sent him, naturally concluded that it was the ring to which she referred.” ”

“ Campenhaye,” said the duke, as we set out across the park, “I have heard of you as a man in whom the fullest confidence can be reposed. That is why I sent for you. I am face to face with a very great trouble.”
“If your Grace will be good enough to confide in me,” I said, “I think you will not regret it. Let me hear everything. That is the only stipulation I make with all my clients.”
“Oh, yes!” he answered. “Yes, of course, I shall tell you everything. Let me begin at the beginning. ”

“ And close by me a thickish wad of cotton wool; that, of course, in which the ring had been enclosed.
Now, my object in securing the envelope and the cardboard box was to subject both to microscopic investigation. I did not want the cotton-wool; nevertheless, I picked it up. And suddenly I saw something hanging to it, the mere sight of which made me jump to my feet with a sharp exclamation, which was caught by Arthur Manning, who was just then re-entering the room.
“What is it?” he said, staring at me, no doubt seeing that I looked excited. “Found anything, Mr. Campenhaye?” ”

“ How it came about that it was found in her own jewel-case, and that Mrs. Duquesne’s ring was delivered to Arthur Manning, she could not explain. And that, Mr. Campenhaye, is all. Do you see any gleam of light; do you?”
“Patience! Patience!” I said. “It is early yet. I suppose Mrs. Duquesne did not give Miss Manning in charge?”
“Oh, no, no!” exclaimed the duke. “No, indeed! The man from Scotland Yard went back to London, and Arthur Manning took his sister to the vicarage at Saxonstowe—the vicar and his wife are old friends of the family. ”

“ I answered. “It was a clever trick, but you gave yourself away when you told the Scotland Yard people to make immediate inquiry of the leading London pawnbrokers. You had read Miss Manning’s letter to her brother, and you knew that he was to pledge the ring. So by your knowledge you made certain of the whereabouts of your property, and at the same time you struck your rival a deadly blow.” ”

“ The officer who had been placed in charge of the matter by the Scotland Yard authorities communicated at once with Arthur Manning, who is a subaltern in one of the Guards regiments, and in consequence of this they both came down to Saxonstowe immediately to see Miss Manning. Now, I beg you to observe, Mr. Campenhaye, that both Manning and his sister have been most candid, most straightforward, most anxious to keep nothing back. They have told all they could. ”

“ His face brightened suddenly.
“By Jove, you can do that, sir!” he exclaimed. “The basket had not been emptied when I got leave and came away, and I know nobody’s been in my room since, because I have the key. ”

“ I noticed that he gave me some indication of who or what all the members of this house-party were, with the exception of the last-named two ladies; I also observed that he spoke their names with some hesitation.
“And who,” I asked, “are Mrs. ”