ey're relations of the late duchess on
the Simkins's side. Mother was an aunt of hers. Not particularly
prepossessing, either of them. Run a second-hand clothing shop over in
Camden Town; down on their luck and expected the brokers in. Came to see
the duchess in the effort to borrow money. She bundled them out neck and
crop, and the brokers did come in and they went out into the streets,
poor wretches. That was ten days ago. But both were seen hanging about
the house last night as late as eleven o'clock. The murder was committed
and the jewels stolen somewhere between midnight and three o'clock in
the morning."

Cleek looked up.

"Suppose you begin the thing at the beginning instead of giving me the
case piecemeal in this fashion, Mr. Narkom," he said. "How did it all
start? Was the duchess giving an entertainment last night?"

"No; but Captain and Mrs. Harvey Glossop were, and the thing happened at
their house, within a stone's throw of Hyde Park Corner."

"Captain Harvey Glossop," repeated Cleek. "Happen by any chance that
he's related to Glossop, the big company promoter who floated 'Sapavo'
and made 'Oxine' a household word three years ago?"

"Same man. Worth a million sterling if he's worth a penny. Isn't really
a military man, you know. Was 'captain' in the volunteers up to the
time of their disbanding. Topping fine fellow, popular everywhere. Makes
money hand over fist, and gives the best dinners in town, they say."

"Two very excellent passports to Society under modern conditions,"
commented Cleek. "Well, go on. Captain and Mrs. Glossop were giving a
reception, and Her Grace of Heatherlands was there?"

"Yes--as their guest. As a matter of fact she had been their guest for
the past eight months. She and Mrs. Glossop took a great fancy to each
other when they met at Nice last October, and the duchess, being
entirely alone and getting too old to care much for social affairs,
rented her house in Park Lane to an American family, and took up her
abode with the Glossops. A suite of rooms was placed at her disposal,
and, since, unlike most feminine friendships, this one grew warmer and
closer every day, she appears to have been perfectly comfortable and
happy for the first time in many years."

"Good. Let us have the story of last night now, please. How did the
duchess come to have the Siva stones in her personal possession at that
time? Surely she was not insane enough to keep the gems in the house
with her?"