t, and that in
anything which related to the household I was the person whom it might
be most profitable to consult. The Sergeant politely answered that he
would take my presence as a favour, having something to say about the
servants in general, and having found my experience in that quarter
already of some use to him. My lady pointed to two chairs, and we set in
for our conference immediately.

"I have already formed an opinion on this case," says Sergeant Cuff,
"which I beg your ladyship's permission to keep to myself for the
present. My business now is to mention what I have discovered upstairs
in Miss Verinder's sitting-room, and what I have decided (with your
ladyship's leave) on doing next."

He then went into the matter of the smear on the paint, and stated
the conclusions he drew from it--just as he had stated them (only with
greater respect of language) to Superintendent Seegrave. "One thing,"
he said, in conclusion, "is certain. The Diamond is missing out of the
drawer in the cabinet. Another thing is next to certain. The marks from
the smear on the door must be on some article of dress belonging to
somebody in this house. We must discover that article of dress before we
go a step further."

"And that discovery," remarked my mistress, "implies, I presume, the
discovery of the thief?"

"I beg your ladyship's pardon--I don't say the Diamond is stolen. I
only say, at present, that the Diamond is missing. The discovery of the
stained dress may lead the way to finding it."

Her ladyship looked at me. "Do you understand this?" she said.

"Sergeant Cuff understands it, my lady," I answered.

"How do you propose to discover the stained dress?" inquired my
mistress, addressing herself once more to the Sergeant. "My good
servants, who have been with me for years, have, I am ashamed to say,
had their boxes and rooms searched already by the other officer. I can't
and won't permit them to be insulted in that way a second time!"

(There was a mistress to serve! There was a woman in ten thousand, if
you like!)

"That is the very point I was about to put to your ladyship," said the
Sergeant. "The other officer has done a world of harm to this inquiry,
by letting the servants see that he suspected them. If I give them cause
to think themselves suspected a second time, there's no knowing what
obstacles they may not throw in my way--the women especially. At the
same time, their boxes must be searched again--for this