Puddingham cuff-buttons by some
lengths. They're diamonds, all right, but the resemblance ends there.
The stolen ones are at least twelve times bigger; that's all."

And the Earl laughed again.

Louis La Violette didn't laugh, however, but made a mad rush at the
obese police inspector from London, who had so grievously and wrongly
accused him.

"Pig-dog, scoundrel, liar!" he yelled at the top of his voice. "I'll
carve you up into ribbons for that! Take that, you big heap of
over-grown beef-fat!"

And the infuriated Gaul launched a blow with his fist at Letstrayed
that knocked that astonished person out of his chair and tumbled him
flat on the floor, with the chair upside down on top of him.

"Here, don't let's have another attempted murder in the castle, La
Violette," remonstrated Holmes, as he pulled back the enraged cook
from a further assault on Letstrayed; "contain yourself. Letstrayed is
only a rumdum, anyhow, as I have found out from long experience with
him. He's always making bad breaks like that. You really mustn't mind
him."

Louis shook off Holmes's grasp, and faced the Earl, crying out:

"But I _will_ mind him. I have been insulted. I shall avenge it. I
shall throw up my job, and return instantly to that dear Paris! Why
did I ever leave it?"

"Good Heavens, Louis!" shouted the Earl in alarm, "you mustn't think
of doing that! I couldn't get along without you and Harrigan, the
butler. Doggone it, Inspector," he added, as that personage slowly and
painfully arose from the floor and brushed himself off, "now you
_have_ done it. Offended the chef,--and the best chef in the whole
country, too! You'd better go outside, and take a walk for your health
until Louis cools off. Your further presence here will only tend to
aggravate him. Louis, I'll double your salary if you'll agree to stay.
It wasn't my fault, you know."

"Well, all right, Your Lordship," agreed La Violette, after some
hesitation, "I guess I'll pocket my outraged pride, also the one
hundred per cent increase in salary, and let you have the further
benefit of my services. But I want it distinctly understood by every
one present," he added, as he faced around to the others, "that I
wouldn't have those pestiferous Puddingham cuff-buttons as a gift!
_Comprenez vous cela_, Mr. Hemlock Holmes of Baker Street, London, and
Broadway, New York?"

"Yes, I get you, Louis," replied Holmes, as he glanced at his watch
impatiently. "It's five minutes aft