what we want.
Where's that clue likely to be found? Why, in this, and this only--who
knew, person or persons, that my cousin was bringing those jewels from
the Princess Nastirsevitch to this country? Get to know that, and it
narrows the field, d'ye see?"

"There's the question of Miss Lennard's jewels, too," remarked Fullaway.

"That may be--perhaps was--a side-issue," said Allerdyke. "It may have
come into the big scheme as an after-thought. But, anyway, that's what
we want--a first clue. And I don't see how that's to be got at until
this Princess arrives here. You see, she may have talked, she may have
let it out in confidence--to somebody who abused her confidence. What is
certain is that somebody must have got to know of this proposed deal
between the Princess and your man, Fullaway, and have laid plans
accordingly to rob the Princess's messenger--my cousin James. D'ye see,
the deal was known of at two ends--to you here, to this Princess,
through James, over there, in Russia. Now, then, where did the secret
get out? Did it get out there, or here?"

"Not here, of course!" answered Fullaway, with emphasis. "That's dead
sure. Over there, of a certainty. The robbery was engineered from there."

"Then, in that case, there's naught to do but wait the arrival of the
Princess," said Allerdyke. "And you say she'll be here to-morrow night.
In the meantime no doubt you police gentlemen'll get more news about this
last affair at Hull, and perhaps Miss Lennard'll find those references
about the Frenchwoman, and maybe we shall mop things up bit by bit--for
mopped up they'll have to be, or my name isn't what it is! Fullaway," he
went on, rising from his chair, "I'll have to leave you--yon man o'
mine'll be arriving from Yorkshire with my things before long, and I must
go down to the hotel office and make arrangements about him. See you
later--at dinner to-night, here, eh?"

He lounged away through the outer office, giving the smart lady secretary
a keen glance as he passed her and getting an equally scrutinizing, if
swift, look in return.

"Clever!" mused Allerdyke as he closed the door behind him. "Deuced
clever, that young woman. Um--well, it's a pretty coil, to be sure!"

He went down to the office, made full and precise arrangements about
Gaffney, who was to be given a room close to his own, left some
instructions as to what was to be done with him on arrival, and then,
hands in pockets, strolled out into Aldwych and wa