that being so, is it
not possible that it might have happened again?"

Reluctantly, Quigley agreed that this was so.

"However," said he, "I take all precautions. I ask questions; I delve
into the history of every valuable thing offered me. But I admit that I
have been misled once or twice, in spite of all I could do."

"Suppose," said Ashton-Kirk, "you allow us a look at the necklace
and----"

"But it is not here!" exclaimed Quigley. "It is at my office, locked
away in the safe."

"Very well," said Ashton-Kirk. "We have a cab outside. Let us go to your
office."

"It is late," expostulated the broker. "I had retired for the night. Why
not morning, sir? The morning will find us fresh and wakeful, and we can
talk things over at our leisure."

"The morning has one drawback," said Ashton-Kirk. "The police may, in
the interim, learn something; and if you are not arrayed on the side of
the law by the time they reach you, you may be decidedly inconvenienced,
not only in this matter, but in others as well."

This seemed powerfully to impress Mr. Quigley.

"I shall do as you request, Mr. Ashton-Kirk," said he. "I put myself
entirely in your hands. If you will give me a few moments to dress I
will go with you to my place of business, and permit you to examine the
necklace. I am always ready to demonstrate my integrity; no one has ever
found me unwilling to comply with every requirement of a reputable
business man."

With that Mr. Quigley disappeared, and within fifteen minutes he emerged
from the rooms beyond fully dressed, including a most respectable top
hat; they descended and got into a cab, and in a little while brought up
at the Chandler Building, where the broker had his office.

A night man sleepily ran them up to the required floor, and Quigley
unlocked his office door.

"Now, gentlemen," said he, "it is fortunate that I still have what you
desire to see here in the office. I have a very good safe, but never
trust anything to it of extreme value unless I am compelled to do so.
This necklace came too late for me to place it in the vault I use for
such things, so I had to keep it here overnight."

[Illustration: THEN THE DOOR SWUNG OPEN]

He turned the knob of a formidable looking safe until he had effected
the proper combination; then the door swung open. The inner door was
then unlocked and Quigley pulled out a drawer; from this he took a
magnificent necklace of diamonds which gleamed resplendently unde