You must be home again before dinner. Here's the opal."
She took it from around her neck.

"Crawfords? Fine!" Killigrew slipped the gem into his wallet. "I'll
bring them back on the yacht if you'll take the trouble to phone them
to meet me at the club pier."

"I'll do so at once. Good-by! Mind the street-crossing," she added,
mimicking her mother's voice.

"I'll be careful," he laughed, stepping into the launch which
immediately swung away toward the beautiful yacht, dazzling white in
the early morning sunshine.

Kitty waved her handkerchief, turned and walked slowly back to the
villa. Who had passed her in the upper hall? And on what errand?
Neither Thomas nor Lord Monckton, for she had left them on the veranda.
Perhaps she was worrying unnecessarily. It might have been one of her
guests, going down to the library for a book to read.

She met Lord Monckton coming out.

"Fine morning!" he greeted. He made a gesture, palm upward.

A slight shiver touched the nape of Kitty's neck. She had never
noticed before how frightfully scarred his thumbs and finger-tips were.
He saw the glance.

"Ah! You notice my fingers? Not at all sensitive about them, really.
Hunting a few years ago and clumsily fell on the camp-stove. Scar on
my shoulder where I struck as I rolled off. Stupid. Tripped over a
case of canned corn. I have fingers now as sensitive as a blind man's."

"I am sorry," she said perfunctorily. "You must tell me of your
adventures."

"Had a raft of 'em. Mr. Killigrew gone to New York?"

"For a part of the day. Had your breakfast?"

"No. Nothing to do; thought I'd wait for the rest of them. Read a
little. Swim this morning, just about dawn. Refreshing."

"Then I'll see you at breakfast."

He smiled and stepped aside for her to pass. She proved rather a
puzzle to him.

Kitty spent several minutes in the telephone booth.

She began to realize that the solution of the Webb-Monckton wager was
as far away as ever. Lord Monckton was leaving on the morrow. She
must play her cards quickly or throw them away. The fact that neither
had in any way referred to the character of the wager left her in a
haze. Sometime during the day or evening she must maneuver to get them
together and tell them frankly that she knew everything. She wanted
her sapphires; more, she wanted the incubus removed from Thomas'
shoulders. Mad as March hares, both of them; for they had not the
least idea that th