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rs for de jools, an' finds dem gone, dey'll t'ink dis Galer guy swiped dem. Dey won't t'ink of us." Jimmy looked at the speaker gravely. "Of course," said he. "What a reasoner you are, Spike! Galer was just opening the door from the outside, by your account, when the valet man sprang at him. Naturally, they'll think that he took the jewels. Especially, as they won't find them on him. A man who can open a locked safe through a closed door is just the sort of fellow who would be able to get rid of the swag neatly while rolling about the floor with the valet. His not having the jewels will make the case all the blacker against him. And what will make them still more certain that he is the thief is that he really is a detective. Spike, you ought to be in some sort of a home, you know." The Bowery boy looked disturbed. "I didn't t'ink of dat, boss," he admitted. "Of course not. One can't think of everything. Now, if you will just hand me those diamonds, I will put them back where they belong." "Put dem back, boss!" "What else would you propose? I'd get you to do it, only I don't think putting things back is quite in your line." Spike handed over the jewels. The boss was the boss, and what he said went. But his demeanor was tragic, telling eloquently of hopes blighted. Jimmy took the necklace with something of a thrill. He was a connoisseur of jewels, and a fine gem affected him much as a fine picture affects the artistic. He ran the diamonds through his fingers, then scrutinized them again, more closely this time. Spike watched him with a slight return of hope. It seemed to him that the boss was wavering. Perhaps, now that he had actually handled the jewels, he would find it impossible to give them up. To Spike, a diamond necklace of cunning workmanship was merely the equivalent of so many "plunks"; but he knew that there were men, otherwise sane, who valued a jewel for its own sake. "It's a boid of a necklace, boss," he murmured, encouragingly. "It is," said Jimmy; "in its way, I've never seen anything much better. Sir Thomas will be glad to have it back." "Den, you're goin' to put it back, boss?" "I am," said Jimmy. "I'll do it just before the theatricals. There should be a chance, then. There's one good thing. This afternoon's affair will have cleared the air of sleuth-hounds a little." CHAPTER XXIII FAMILY JARS Hildebrand Spencer Poynt de Burgh John Hannasyde Coombe-Crombie,
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