g in which the murder had been
committed, that extreme skill would be required to obtain a conviction.
The detective therefore considered that these men must be met with
methods as bold as their own. Speaking in a tone loud enough to reach
Mr. Mitchel's ears he said:

"I think that the thief is clever, but that he is not so clever as he
considers himself."

"How is that?"

"He believed--I say he, because like Miss Remsen, I think it is a man--"

"How delightful of you to agree with me," said Dora.

"This man then," continued Mr. Barnes, "considers that he has misled me.
He thinks that when I directed that all the passengers should be
searched, I did so hoping to find the lost jewels, whereas I was not
looking for the jewels, but for the thief."

"How could you do that?"

"You may think me egotistic, but I hoped to detect him by his conduct. I
was entirely successful. I know who stole the jewels." This was a bold
assertion, especially as Mr. Barnes had not decided the matter in his
own mind. He wished to note the faces of these men, when he made the
statement. He gained nothing by the manoeuvre, for Mr. Mitchel seemed
not to have heard, whilst the Frenchman quickly said:

"Bravo! Bravo! You are better than Lecocq. It is like a wizard's trick.
You pass the suspects before you in review, and then, presto! you pick
out the criminal with your eye. That is a charming method, and so
simple!"

"Mr. Thauret," said Dora, "you are laughing at Mr. Barnes, and that is
not good-natured. Mr. Barnes says he knows the thief. I believe him."

"Pardon! I believe him also. I did not mean to laugh. But tell me, Mr.
Barnes, how did the man secrete the diamonds, I suppose they were
diamonds, were they not?"

"Diamonds and other jewels. But let me ask you----how would you have
hidden them, had you been in his place?" This time the shot went home.
Plainly the Frenchman did not like the suggestion of being himself the
criminal. He quickly recovered his equanimity, however, and answered:

"Do you know, I have thought of that very thing. Of course I would
probably make a bungle of it. Still I have thought of a way."

"A way by which he could have hidden the jewels so that a search could
not have found them, and yet in a place accessible to himself
afterwards?"

"I think so! Perhaps I am wrong, but I think my little plan would do
that much. The newspaper says the jewels were unset stones. I should
have pushed them into the cake of