s another example of the
misfortune which attaches to the possession of a blue diamond."

"Are you thinking of the Hope blue diamond? That certainly has a
sinister history."

"That is the most notorious instance. But all blue diamonds are unlucky.
I could tell you some gruesome stories connected with them. The previous
wearer of the Heredith necklace--Philip's mother--died in giving birth
to him. Incidentally, there is a curious legend attached to the
moat-house in the form of a curse laid on it by the original builder,
who was burnt alive in the old house. He prophesied that as the house of
the Herediths was founded in horror it should end in horror. These old
family curses sometimes come home to roost after a long lapse of time,
though modern cynicism affects to sneer at such fancies. Of course,
there may be nothing in it, but we have had more than enough horror in
the moat-house recently, and poor Mrs. Heredith had a blue diamond in
her room when she was murdered. But I must not keep you any longer, Mr.
Colwyn. If there has been any miscarriage of justice in this terrible
case I trust that you will be successful in bringing it to light."

He lingered after shaking hands, as though he would have liked to
continue the conversation. Apparently not finding sufficient
encouragement in the detective's face to do so, he turned and left the
room, and Colwyn resumed his preparations for departure.

When they were completed he, too, went downstairs, carrying his bag.
Miss Heredith and Phil were waiting to bid farewell to him. As Miss
Heredith said good-bye, she looked into his face with the perplexed
expression of a simple soul seeking reassurance from a stronger mind in
the deep vortex of extraordinary events into which she had been plunged
beyond her depth. Phil looked white and ill, and the hand which he gave
into the detective's cool firm grasp was hot and feverish. While his
aunt murmured those conventional phrases under which women seek to cover
the realities of life as they bedeck corpses with flowers, Phil stood
aside with the impatient air of one scornful of the futility of such
things. As Miss Heredith ceased speaking he took a step forward, his
dark eyes fixed eagerly and searchingly on Colwyn.

"You will lose no time?" he said. "You will find out everything?"

"I have already promised you that I will continue my investigations,"
replied Colwyn. The quiet sincerity of his words was the indication of a
mind whi