t?"

Quest drew the keys of the safe from his pocket, crossed the room and
swung open the safe door. For a moment afterwards he stood transfixed. His
arm, half outstretched, remained motionless. Then he turned slowly around.

"The jewels have been stolen," he announced with unnatural calm.

Mrs. Rheinholdt pushed her way forward, wringing her hands.

"Stolen again?" she said. "Mr. Quest! Inspector!"

"They were there," Quest declared, "when I left the house this morning. It
seems probable," he added, "that the same person who is responsible for
this double tragedy has also taken the jewels."

The Inspector laid his hand heavily upon Quest's shoulder.

"It does seem as though that might be so," he assented grimly. "You will
kindly consider yourself under arrest, Quest. Ladies and gentlemen, will
you clear the room now, if you please? The ambulance I telephoned for is
outside."

The Professor, who had been looking on as though dazed, suddenly
intervened.

"Mr. French," he said earnestly, "I am convinced that you are making a
great mistake. In arresting and taking away Mr. Quest, you are removing
from us the one man who is likely to be able to clear up this mystery."

The Inspector pushed him gently on one side.

"You will excuse me, Professor," he said, "but this is no matter for
argument. If Mr. Quest can clear himself, no one will be more glad than
I."

Quest shrugged his shoulders.

"The Inspector will have his little joke," he observed drily. "It's all
right, girls. Keep cool," he went on, as he saw the tears in Lenora's
eyes. "Come round and see me in the Tombs, one of you."

"If I can be of any assistance," the Professor exclaimed, "I trust that
you will not fail to call upon me, Mr. Quest. I repeat, Inspector," he
added, "I am convinced that you are making a very grave mistake. Mrs.
Rheinholdt, you must let me take you home."

She gave him her arm.

"My jewels!" she sobbed. "Just as they had been recovered, too!"

"My dear lady," the Professor reminded her, with a faint air of reproach
in his tone, "I think we must remember that we are in the presence of a
graver tragedy than the loss of a few jewels."...

The ambulance men came and departed with their grim burden, the room on
the ground floor was locked and sealed, and the house was soon empty
except for the two girls. Towards three o'clock, Lenora went out and
returned with a newspaper. She opened it out upon the table and they both
pored ov