aring against the disgraceful management, so she
termed it, which had enabled a thief to enter the rooms.

Whilst Mr. Barnes was thinking what to do, he saw Mr. Van Rawlston
approaching him, accompanied by Mr. Thauret, who was now in evening
dress.

"Mr. Barnes, how was this thing done? Why did you not prevent it?"

"I tried to do so, but could not. You must understand, Mr. Van Rawlston,
that I am not omniscient. I suspected that this robbery would occur, but
I could not know how it would be accomplished. Nevertheless I saw the
act."

"Then why did you not seize the thief?"

"I attempted to do so, and was thrown down from behind by his
accomplice."

"Can you identify the person by his dress?"

"That is, unfortunately, impossible. All that I know is that he was one
of the Forty Thieves, and evidently played his part well."

"This is Mr. Barnes?" said Mr. Thauret, inquiringly, continuing at once:
"Yes, of course it is. We have met twice, I think. You say your thief
was dressed as one of the Forty Thieves. That interests me, for I wore
one of those dresses. Why not ask all who did to allow themselves to be
searched?"

"I will not hear of such an indignity to my guests," at once ejaculated
Mr. Van Rawlston. "Search people in my own house! No, sir. I will
willingly pay for the lost gem rather than do so."

"You are quite right," said the detective, keenly eying Mr. Thauret, "I
am sure that it would be useless."

"As you please," said Mr. Thauret, and with a satirical smile he bowed
and joined the group around Miss Remsen.

Mr. Barnes told Mr. Van Rawlston that it would be useless for him to
remain longer, and that he would depart. He did not do so, however,
until he had assured himself that Mr. Mitchel was not in the house. He
went to the door, and found that the boy who had been told to guard it
had been absent looking at the tableaux when the confusion occurred, so
that he did not know whether any one had left the house or not. He
therefore departed in disgust.

"That fellow Mitchel," thought he, as he walked rapidly down the
avenue,--"that fellow is an artist. To think of the audacity of waiting
till the very moment when his wager would be lost, and then committing
the robbery in such a manner that a hundred people will be able to
testify that it occurred within the limited period. Meanwhile there is
an excellent _alibi_ for him. Sick in a hotel in Philadelphia! Bah!
Isn't there one man that I can depend