e missing necklace, which is the really important clue. Is Scotland
Yard making any investigations about it?"

"Yes. Merrington has put me on to that because I let you score the point
over him of discovering that it was missing. I am sure that he hopes I
will fall down over the job of tracing it. I shouldn't be surprised if I
did, too. It's no easy thing to get on the track of missing jewellery,
especially if it has been hidden. I have not even got a description of
the necklace to help me."

"I can give you a description, and perhaps help you in the work of
tracing it."

"Can you? That's awfully good of you." Caldew's face showed that he
meant his words. "Have you any idea where it is?"

"I have at least something to guide me in commencing the
search--something, which, curiously enough, I owe to Merrington's
blunder in visiting Nepcote before he looked for the necklace. We will
go across to Hatton Garden, and I will put my idea to the test."

CHAPTER XXI

On reaching the street, they crossed Ludgate Circus, and directed their
steps towards Hatton Garden by way of St. Bride Street.

A few minutes later, they emerged in that portion of Holborn which is
graced by the mounted statue of a dead German prince acknowledging his
lifelong obligations to British hospitality by raising his plumed hat to
the London City & Midland Bank on the Viaduct corner. Hatton Garden, as
every Londoner knows, begins on the other side of this improving
spectacle--a short broad street which disdains to indicate by external
opulence the wealth hidden within its walls, though, to an eye practised
in London ways, there is a comforting suggestion of prosperity in its
wide flagged pavements, comfortable brick buildings, and Jewish names
which appear in gilt lettering on plate-glass windows.

Colwyn walked quickly along, glancing at the displayed names. He had
almost reached the Clerkenwell end of the Garden when his eye was caught
by the name of "Austin Wendover, Dealer in Oriental Stones," gleaming in
white letters on the blackboard indicator of a set of offices hived in a
building on the corner of a side street. It was the name of the man he
was searching for. He turned into the passage, and mounted the stairs.
Caldew followed him.

On the landing of the first floor another and smaller board gave the
names of those tenants whose offices were at the back of the building.
Mr. Wendover's was amongst them, and a pointing hand opposite i