that you are familiar with diamonds. What would you think of a
man who would steal the Earl's diamond cuff-buttons?"

"I would say that he didn't show very good taste. They are too large
and crude. Not fit to be worn to a prize-fight," answered Van Damm
calmly.

"Impudent fellow! I'll fire you for that," growled the Earl.

"Hold on, Your Lordship, we may need this man later. Don't do anything
rash. Thorneycroft, send candid Peter out, and bring in the first
footman," Holmes commanded, consulting a list of the servants, which
the Earl had given him.

"What's your name, age, previous place of employment, and
prison-record,--if any?" snapped Holmes impatiently, as he noticed the
obese face and low brow of the man before him.

"Why, er,--ah,--my name is Hegbert Bunbury, sir. Hi ham forty-two
years old. Hi hused to work for the Duke of Bridgerswold, sir, but Hi
'ave come down hin the world, sir, and now Hi ham working for honly a
hearl. Er, what was that hother question you harsked me, sir?"

"I asked if you had any prison-record."

"Well, now, what a question, Mr. 'Olmes! Do you really think that Hi
would stoop so low as to swipe 'Is Lawdship's cuff-buttons?"

"I didn't ask you whether you stole the cuff-buttons or not. I'll find
out soon enough whether you did. What I want to know is whether you
have ever been arrested for anything before."

And Holmes scowled at the fat footman before him, who fidgeted
uneasily as he replied:

"Well, er,--ah, yes; Hi was put in chokey once about ten years ago for
lifting a diamond stick-pin belonging to a fellow-servant when Hi was
working for the Duke of Bridgerswold; but Hi gave it back to him, Hi
hassure you Hi did, Mr. 'Olmes."

"After they compelled you to, I suppose, by the third degree,"
commented Holmes, as he glanced meaningly at the Earl, who frowned
heavily at Bunbury. "Well, do you suspect anybody here of stealing the
cuff-buttons?"

A smile passed over the footman's face, as he replied:

"Yes, sir; Hi 'ave no 'esitation whatever in saying that Hi suspect
Teresa Olivano, the Countess's Spanish maid, of having stolen them."

"I think that I can account for that accusation," said Uncle Tooter to
Holmes. "This fellow Bunbury was recently rejected when he proposed
marriage to Teresa. Now, you beat it out of here at once," he added,
as he turned to the footman, "and keep your fake suspicions to
yourself."

CHAPTER V

The bald-headed secretary led the di