“The police are sure to find the brutes in the end,” said Rowton. He came close to Nance as he spoke, and softly rearranged the setting of one of her sleeves. “Did you really say that Lady Arabella had lost her rose diamond?” he said, turning to Lady Georgina. “Yes; the old family heirloom, estimated as worth quite sixty thousand pounds.” “A gem of that kind will certainly be traced,” said Rowton. “Still,” he added, “as you say, the whole thing is preposterous. To think of men in the latter end of the nineteenth century being able to break into a house in the dead of night and take away jewels out of some of those marvellous modern safes, quite beats my comprehension. It is a good thing that we have got one of Clever’s safes here.” “Yes; you are in luck,” said Lady Georgina. “There’s not a house in the whole country which contains so much plate and valuables as this.” “True,” said Rowton, tapping his fingers on the back of Nancy’s chair. “Well,” he added, starting as if from a reverie, “as we have the treasures we must use them. There will be a good lot of plate out to-night, and Nance must wear her jewels—or, at least, jewels suitable to her dress. I’ll go and fetch them.” He left the room. In a few moments he returned with an old leather case, which he unlocked, and exhibited before Lady Georgina’s delighted eyes a magnificent selection of pearls, rubies, and diamonds. “Pearls are the right ornaments for that dress,” he said, glancing at his young wife, “and I think,” he added, “I have got the very thing.” As he spoke he touched a secret spring in the box. A drawer flew open, revealing a single string of pearls, each nearly the size of a robin’s egg. Rowton lifted it out and clasped it round Nancy’s soft white neck. “There,” he said, “you are complete now. Anything further would spoil the effect.” Nancy went up to the glass to examine herself. “Are these heirlooms?” she asked. “Of course, dearest. Lady Georgina, don’t you remember them?” “Yes,” she replied. “I saw them last on your mother’s neck. I was a tiny child at the time, but the unusual size of the pearls attracted me. What is the matter, Mrs. Rowton?—you look disturbed.” “It is our house-warming, and I want to wear one of your presents to me,” said Nance, going up to her husband. “You spoke of a black diamond. I have not seen it yet.” “A black diamond!” cried Lady Georgina; “you surely do not mean to say, you lucky people, that you possess a priceless treasure of that sort. There are only a few really valuable black diamonds in the whole world.” “Strange as it may seem,” said Rowton in a careless tone, “I happened to pick one up when I was abroad. It is a strange gem, and I was able to get it cheap. Yes, Nance, you shall wear the black diamond, if you like to-night. I’ll fetch it at once.” When he left the room, Lady Georgina went to the door and locked it.