deal between the Princess Nastirsevitch and Mr. Delkin. But in that last
Merrifield came in. He too, knew of it, and he told Schmall and Van
Koon, but Ebers supplied the detailed information of what you were
doing, through access, as Miss Slade said, to your papers--which you
left lying about, you know."

"I know--I know!" groaned Fullaway. "Careless--careless!"

"Very!" said the chief, with a smile at Allerdyke "Teach you a lesson,
perhaps. However, there this knowledge was. Now, Schmall, according to
Merrifield, was the leading spirit. He had the man Lydenberg in his
employ. He sent him off to Christiania to waylay James Allerdyke: he
supplied him with a photograph of James Allerdyke, which Ebers procured."

"I know that!" muttered Allerdyke. "Clever, too!"

"Exactly," agreed the chief. "Now at the same time Schmall learned of
Miss Lennard's return. He sent Ebers, who already knew and had been
cultivating the French maid, down to Hull to meet her and bring her away
with Miss Lennard's jewel-box. That was done easily. The Lydenberg
affair, however, did not come off--through Lydenberg. Because, as we now
know, James Allerdyke sent the Nastirsevitch jewels off to you, Mr.
Fullaway. But there, fortune favoured these fellows Van Koon, for
purposes of theirs, had taken up his quarters close by you--in your
absence the box came into his hands. And--we know how the ingenious Miss
Slade despoiled him of it!"

The chief paused for a moment, and mechanically shifted the two parcels
which stood before him. He seemed to be reflecting, and when he spoke
again he prefaced his words with a shake of the head.