any mistake!"

"She's a deal too clever, that young lady," observed Chettle. "I like 'em
clever, but not quite as clever as all that. In my opinion, she's
mistaken her calling, has that young woman. She ought to have been one
of us--they're uncommonly bent that way, some of these modern
misses--they can see right through a thing, sometimes, where we men can't
see an inch above our noses."

"Intuition," said Allerdyke, with a laugh. "Aye, well perhaps Miss
Slade'll have got so infected with enthusiasm for your business that
She'll go in for it regularly. This reward'll do for capital, you
know, Chettle."

"Ah!" responded Chettle feelingly. "Wish it was coming to me! I
wouldn't put no capital into that business--not me, sir! I'd have a
nice little farm in the country, and I'd grow roses, and breed sheep
and pigs, and--"

"And lose all your brass in a couple of years!" laughed Allerdyke. "Stick
to your own game, my lad, and when you want to grow roses, do it in your
own back yard for pleasure. And here we are--and you'd best wait,
Chettle, until Miss Lennard herself gives a receipt for this stuff, and
then you can take it back to Scotland Yard and frame it."

He left Chettle in an anti-room of Miss Lennard's flat while he himself
was shown into the prima donna's presence. She was alone, and evidently
unoccupied, and her eyes suddenly sparkled when Allerdyke came in as if
she was glad of a visitor.

"You!" she exclaimed. "Really!"

"It's me," said Allerdyke laconically. "Nobody else," He looked round to
make sure that the door was safely closed; then he advanced to the little
table at which Miss Lennard was sitting and laid down his parcel.

"Something for you," he said abruptly. "Open it."

"What is it?" she asked, glancing shyly at him. "Not chocolates--surely!"

"Never bought aught of that sort in my life," replied Allerdyke. "More
respect for people's teeth. Here--I'll open it," he went on, producing a
penknife and cutting the string. "I've signed one receipt for this stuff
already--you'll have to sign another. There's a detective in your parlour
waiting for it, just now."

"A detective!" she exclaimed. "Why--why--you don't mean to say that box
has my pearls in it? Oh! you don't!"

"See if they're all right," commanded Allerdyke "Gad!--they've been
through some queer hands since you lost 'em. I don't know how you feel
about it, but hang me if I shouldn't feel strange wearing 'em again! I
should feel--but