him with it, and bade me
search him.

I did so, and in the Russian's hip pocket found the fourth
cuff-button, glistening and shining as brilliantly as ever!

"Well, here you are, Holmes," I said, handing it to him. "This one was
found in between finds, I guess."

The seven of us collared Ivan immediately, and I feared the Earl was
about to do him bodily harm, when Holmes interposed with a plea for
leniency, and for permission to let the assistant cook tell his story.

"That man William Budd, he took the cuff-button, and he gave it to me
to hide for him," claimed Ivan; "so I am not the original thief; and I
don't know a thing about the others."

The Earl eyed his second hash-mixer sardonically, while we gathered
round him there under the apple tree, and said with a snort: "This
stuff about Billie Budd and not yourself being the culprit is getting
to be kind of a chestnut. You're the fourth person who has handed in
that alibi so far, and I guess the Australian sport didn't have to get
down on his knees to make you keep the stolen cuff-button for him,
either. But inasmuch as the gem has been recovered in good condition,
I suppose I can let you off, instead of having Monsieur La Violette
chop you up for Hamburg steak,--a fate you richly deserve. Now beat it
back into the kitchen, and don't let your boss there catch you using
his favorite kettles again, to say nothing of keeping your hands off
the ancestral cuff-buttons."

Ivan was released and Heinie Blumenroth went back to his gardening
disgustedly; while we returned to the wine-cellar for a few more
drinks, while the Earl lovingly patted his vest-pocket, where he had
stowed away the four gems, all recovered that morning by my lucky as
well as resourceful partner.

It was now half-past ten, and after we had helped to decrease for a
quarter of an hour longer the visible supply of vinous, malt, and
spirituous liquors in Normanstow Towers, Holmes suggested we go up to
the fourth floor and shoot a few games of pool before luncheon.

Everybody readily agreed, and in a little while we were engaged in a
game up there in the spacious billiard room, Letstrayed evidently
having wandered away from his sleeping-quarters on top of one of the
tables. Holmes "bust," and put three balls in the pockets. As he
reached into the third pocket to take out the pool-ball, his jaw
dropped, and his face showed great surprise.

"Well, what do you know about that, fellows! Darned if here a