In the crowd Preston had lost sight of Blenkiron, and he now threaded his way alone and aimlessly through the little groups of dancers clustered together and resting. The band had become more riotous than ever, the dancing more extravagant and grotesque. And all the while, as he made his way along, he kept thinking of Schomberg and his strange death. Again he saw the masked young man stooping over the seated figure bent forward in the box and apparently leaning against it. The figure had not moved then, neither had it moved during the minutes which elapsed before he and Blenkiron had gone up to the box to ascertain if anything were amiss. Could Schomberg already have been dead when the slim man stood bending over him? If so, then why had the latter not sent for a doctor, or raised the alarm? And that slim young man, according to Hopford, had been La Planta. Perhaps, though, Hopford had been mistaken. Then he thought of Jessica. How surprised and distressed she had appeared to be when Doctor Johnson had broken to her the news of Schomberg’s death. That she should be was, of course, only natural in the circumstances, and yet---- What had become of Yootha? Where in the world had she got to? And Cora, too, and Hopford? Perhaps Hopford had gone back to the office of his newspaper; he had said he might have to go. In vain he watched the dancers--swaying, revolving, always revolving, until the scene made him dizzy. But he saw no sign of Yootha, or of any of his party. At intervals he glanced at the box they had occupied, but it remained empty. He was getting sick of the whole thing, and longed to get back home. But he could not go home without first seeing Yootha. He felt he had seen less of her that evening than he had hoped to do; but then she loved dancing, and he would, he told himself, have been a bear to prevent her dancing because himself unable, owing to his wounded leg, to dance at all. Suddenly his spirits rose. He had caught sight of Hopford ... he was some way off.... Ah, there he was again! Wandering, he appeared to be in search of some one. And at that instant Hopford saw him. “Charlie, for heaven’s sake--I have been hunting for you everywhere,” Hopford exclaimed when at last they came together. “An awful thing has happened--it will give you a big shock, but I implore you not to worry, because I am positive all will come right in the end. Cora knows about it and is with Yootha now.” “Yootha? Where is she, Harry? I have been trying to find her for the last half an hour or more.” “I can well believe that,” Hopford answered. “Now listen, Charlie, and don’t get upset. A woman had her pearl necklace stolen to-night, and the necklace has been found in Yootha’s vanity bag, and so--well, of course they had to arrest her.” “Arrest her! _Arrest Yootha?_” “Why yes. You see the pearls were found in her possession. Have you heard about Levi Schomberg, and----”