“She did. Sorry to meddle with anyone in your house. Colonel, but she would have it. You won’t have any trouble.” “But what’s the woman done?” the Colonel cried. “Well, you know, she’s been led into temptation. When she thought burglars had taken her brooch it seemed to her that she might as well recover from the insurance people for something else too. That’s the worst of playing at crime, Mrs. Beach. You never know who won’t take it seriously. What made me cast an eye at Mrs. Faulks was her saying last night that she wasn’t sure whether she had lost anything else. I can’t imagine Mrs. Faulks not sure about anything. She’s sure she’s an injured woman now. And I’ll swear she always has an inventory of all her jeweller’s shop in her head.” “She has,” said Alice Beach pathetically. “You should hear her talk of her jewels.” “Heaven forbid. But you see, Miss Winslow, it’s the old story, you criminals always try to be too clever. She thought it wouldn’t be enough to say she’d lost her diamonds. She wanted them well out of the way so that the police could search and not find them. So she scurried off to the post office and sent them away in a registered packet. Thus, as you criminals will, underratin’ the intelligence of the simple policeman. My man Sam was looking out to see if anyone did anything unusual this morning and he observed Mrs. Faulks’s manœuvres at the post office----” “And you had her cold!” Cosdon cried. “Yes. Yes, a sad story.” “She didn’t really mean any harm,” said Sally. “Did she, Mr. Fortune?” Reggie looked at her sadly. “You’re not a moral little girl, you know,” he said. CASE VI THE LEADING LADY MR. REGINALD FORTUNE sent his punt along at the rate of knots. From the cushions the Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department protested. “Why this wanton display of skill? Why so strenuous?” “It’s good for the figure, Lomas.” “Have you a figure?” said Lomas bitterly. It is to be confessed that a certain solidity distinguishes Reggie Fortune. Years of service as the scientific adviser of Scotland Yard have not marred the pink and white of his cherubic face, but they have brought weight to a body never svelte. Mr. Fortune let the punt drift. “That’s vulgar abuse. What’s the matter, old thing?” “I dislike your horrible competence. Is there anything you can’t do?” “I don’t think so,” said Mr. Fortune modestly. “Jack of all trades and master of none. That is why I am a specialist.” The Hon. Sidney Lomas sat up. “Secondly, I resent your hurry to get rid of me. Thirdly, as I am going up to London to work and you are going back in this punt to do nothing, I should like to annoy you. Fourthly and lastly I know that I shan’t, and that embitters me. Does anything ever annoy you, Fortune?” “Only work. Only the perverse criminal.” Lomas groaned. “All criminals are perverse.” “Oh, I wouldn’t say that. Most crime is a natural product.”