e gathered that it must
be the one surreptitiously abstracted from his cabinet, and when, after
some careful inquiries, he learned that the name of its possessor was
Fairbrother, he awoke to his old suspicions and determined to probe this
matter to the bottom. But secretly. He still had too much consideration
to attack a man in high position without full proof.

Knowing of no one he could trust with so delicate an inquiry as this
had now become, he decided to undertake it himself, and for this purpose
embraced the first opportunity to cross the water. He took his daughter
with him because he had resolved never to let his one remaining child
out of his sight. But she knew nothing of his plans or reason for
travel. No one did. Indeed, only his lawyer and the police were aware of
the loss of his diamond.

His first surprise on landing was to learn that Mr. Fairbrother, of
whose marriage he had heard, had quarreled with his wife and that, in
the separation which had occurred, the diamond had fallen to her share
and was consequently in her possession at the present moment.

This changed matters, and Mr. Grey's only thought now was to surprise
her with the diamond on her person and by one glance assure himself that
it was indeed the Great Mogul. Since Mrs. Fairbrother was reported to
be a beautiful woman and a great society belle, he saw no reason why he
should not meet her publicly, and that very soon. He therefore accepted
invitations and attended theaters and balls, though his daughter had
suffered from her voyage and was not able to accompany him. But alas! he
soon learned that Mrs. Fairbrother was never seen with her diamond and,
one evening after an introduction at the opera, that she never
talked about it. So there he was, balked on the very threshold of his
enterprise, and, recognizing the fact, was preparing to take his now
seriously ailing daughter south, when he received an invitation to a
ball of such a select character that he decided to remain for it, in the
hope that Mrs. Fairbrother would be tempted to put on all her splendor
for so magnificent a function and thus gratify him with a sight of his
own diamond. During the days that intervened he saw her several times
and very soon decided that, in spite of her reticence in regard to this
gem, she was not sufficiently in her husband's confidence to know the
secret of its real ownership. This encouraged him to attempt piquing her
into wearing the diamond on this