"A diamond necklace? Yes." They had reached a particularly dark and secluded spot beneath the canopy of palm leaves. Harrowby turned suddenly and put his hands on Minot's shoulders. "Mr. Minot," he said, "you are here to see that nothing interferes with my marriage to Miss Meyrick. I trust you are determined to do your duty to your employers?" "Absolutely. That is why--" "Then," replied Harrowby quickly, "I am going to ask you to take charge of this for me." Suddenly Minot felt something cold and glassy in his hand. Startled, he looked down. Even in the dark, Chain Lightning's Collar sparkled like the famous toy that it was. "Your lordship!--" "I can not explain now. I can only tell you it is quite necessary that you help me at this time. If you wish to do your full duty by Mr. Jephson." "Who took this necklace from Miss Meyrick's hair?" asked Minot hotly. "I did. I assure you it was the only way to prevent our plans from going awry. Please keep it until I ask you for it." And turning, Lord Harrowby walked rapidly toward the house. "The brute!" Angrily Mr. Minot stood turning the necklace over in his hand. "So he frightened the girl he is to marry--the girl he is supposed to love--" What should he do? Go to her, and tell her of Harrowby's amiable eccentricities? He could hardly do that--Harrowby had taken him into his confidence--and besides there was Jephson of the great bald head, the Peter Pan eyes. Nothing to do but wait. Returning to the hotel from Mrs. Bruce's villa, he found awaiting him a cable from Jephson. The cable assured him that beyond any question the man in San Marco was Allan Harrowby and, like Cæsar's wife, above suspicion. Yet even as he read, Lord Harrowby walked through the lobby, and at his side was Mr. James O'Malley, house detective of the Hotel de la Pax. They came from the manager's office, where they had evidently been closeted. With the cablegram in his hand, Minot entered the elevator and ascended to his room. The other hand was in the pocket of his top coat, closed tightly upon Chain Lightning's Collar--the bauble that the Earl of Raybrook had once wagered against a kiss. CHAPTER VIII AFTER THE TRAINED SEALS Mr. Minot opened his eyes on Thursday morning with the uncomfortable feeling that he was far from his beloved New York. For a moment he lay dazed, wandering in that dim borderland between sleep and waking. Then, suddenly, he remembered. "Oh, yes, by jove," he muttered, "I've been knighted. Groom of the Back-Stairs Scandals and Keeper of the Royal Jewels--that's me." He lifted his pillow. There on the white sheet sparkled the necklace of which the whole British nobility was proud--Chain Lightning's Collar. Some seventy-five blue-white diamonds, pear-shaped, perfectly graduated. His for the moment! "What's Harrowby up to, I wonder?" he reflected "The dear old top! Nice, pleasant little party if a policeman should find this in my pocket."