n could have nerve enough to
attempt anything so daring," Mr. Palmer remarked. "I should have been
willing to take my oath that she--this Mrs. Vanderbeck, so called--was
just what she pretended to be--a refined and cultured lady accustomed to
the most polished society. She did not overdo her part in the least, and
had one of the most frank and beautiful faces that I have ever seen. Her
figure and carriage were superb, her manner charming. The only peculiar
thing about her was her hair, which was a decided red, as were also her
eyebrows, and lashes. She had fine teeth, and she was very richly, though
modestly, dressed. She came to the store apparently in her own carriage,
with a colored driver, and everything seemed to indicate that she
belonged in the ranks of high life."

"The woman who came to me, to make arrangements for the treatment of her
pretended son, was a much older woman than you describe," Doctor
Wesselhoff said, in reply, "her hair was almost white, her face was
somewhat wrinkled, and she appeared sad and depressed. It must be that
there were two women concerned in the affair, for my visitor remarked
that since her son, when under the influence of his mania, was so
determined to have her arrested, she would send her sister, whom she
called Mrs. Vanderbeck, with him."

"Hum--maybe my adventuress was the same person in disguise," Mr. Palmer
thoughtfully observed.

"But you said she had red hair, brows, and lashes, and was quite young in
appearance; while Mrs. Walton was old and wrinkled, with white hair; the
brows and lashes I did not notice particularly, but they certainly were
not red," Doctor Wesselhoff responded, doubtfully.

"Well, whether they were one and the same or not, the whole thing is a
perplexing puzzle, and I would sacrifice a good deal to have it solved,"
said Mr. Palmer. "But," he added, with a sigh, "I am afraid that it never
will be, for the thieves, in all probability, left New York immediately,
and were sharp enough to remove the diamonds from their settings before
attempting to dispose of them."

"They may overreach themselves yet and be brought to justice," Doctor
Wesselhoff remarked. "But is there no way of identifying the diamonds
unset?"

"Some of them--two in particular--could be identified; they were a pair
of magnificent solitaires, and I am sure my expert could tell them
anywhere," Mr. Palmer replied.

"It is strange that you were not suspicious of a person who wished to