in from the off side, clutched the pendant, twisted it off, and was
gone. All quicker than I can tell it. I tried to give chase, but it
was utter folly. I couldn't see anything two feet away. Mrs. Crawford
is a bit knocked up over it. Rather sinister stone, if its history is
a true one: the Nana Sahib's ruby, you know. For the jewel itself I
don't care. I never liked to see her wear it."

Killigrew threw up his hands. "And this is the London you've been
bragging about to me! How much was the ruby worth?"

"Don't know; nobody does. It's one of those jewels you can't set a
price on. He will not be able to dispose of it in its present shape.
He'll break it up and sell the pieces, and that's the shame of it.
Think of the infernal cleverness of the man! Two or three hundred
vehicles stalled in the street, fog so thick you couldn't see your hand
before your face. Simple game for a man with ready wit. And the
police busy at the two ends of the block, trying to straighten out the
tangle. Mrs. Crawford says that the hand was white, slender and well
kept. It came in swiftly and accurately. The man had been watching
and waiting. She was so unprepared for the act that she didn't even
try to catch the hand. I have notified Scotland Yard. But you can't
hunt down a hand. I'm willing to wager that we'll neither of us ever
see the gems again."

"He must have come directly from your carriage to mine," said Kitty.
"I am heart-broken."

"One of the tricks of fate. Glad you got back all right. We were
mightily worried. Come over across the hall at nine to-morrow, all of
you, for breakfast. Don't fuss up. And we'll talk over the affair and