hat it took me a great deal by surprise, but my friend Mr.
Dory has been on the right track from the first. I congratulate him most
heartily."

Dory was a little overcome. Lady Mary shook him heartily by the hand,
but as they trooped downstairs she stooped and whispered in Peter Ruff's
ear.

"I wonder how much of this was John Dory," she said, smiling.

Peter Ruff said nothing. The detective was already on the telephone,
wiring his report to London. Every one was standing about in little
knots, discussing this wonderful event. Sogrange sought Lord Clenarvon,
and walked with him, arm in arm, down the stairs.

"I cannot tell you, Clenarvon," he said, "how sorry I am that I should
have been the means of introducing a person like this to the house. I
had the most excellent references from the Prince of Strelitz. No doubt
they were forged. My own man was taken ill just before I left, and I had
to bring some one."

"My dear Sogrange," Lord Clenarvon said, "don't think of it. What we
must be thankful for is that we had so brilliant a detective in the
house."

"As John Dory?" Sogrange remarked, with a smile. Lord Clenarvon nodded.

"Come," he said, "I don't see why we should lose a day's sport because
the diamonds have been recovered. I always felt that they would turn up
again some day or other. You are keen, I know, Sogrange."

"Rather!" the Marquis answered. "But excuse me for one moment. There is
Mrs. Ruff looking charming there in the corner. I must have just a word
with her."

He crossed the room and bowed before Violet.

"My dear lady," he said, "I have come to congratulate you. You have a
clever husband--a little cleverer, even, than I thought. I have just had
the misfortune to lose to him a bet of twenty-five thousand francs."

Violet smiled, a little uneasily.

"Peter doesn't gamble as a rule," she remarked.

Sogrange sighed.

"This, alas, was no gamble!" he said. "He was betting upon certainties,
but he won. Will you tell him from me, when you see him, that although
I have not the money in my pocket at the moment, I shall pay my debts.
Tell him that we are as careful to do that in France as we are to keep
our word!"

He bowed, and passed out with the shooting-party on to the terrace.
Peter Ruff came up, a few minutes later, and his wife gave him the
message.

"I did that man an injustice," Peter Ruff said with a sigh of relief. "I
can't explain now, dear. I'll tell you all about it later in the d