The police duly arrived, and searched the gardens and the house, but in no way could they trace the thieves. George stuck persistently to his story, which, of course, was true, save for the excuse which he gave for coming down the stairs. And it was this false portion--this weak subterfuge--which made Mr. Tait suspicious. He knew that George was hard up, and said as much to him in a quiet corner. "What has my being a pauper to do with your loss?" demanded Walker, firing up on the instant. Tait shook his bullet head and scowled with his little pig eyes. "My jewels are worth twenty thousand pounds," he retorted. "I don't care if they are worth twenty millions," said George, turning pale, for he realised his employer's meaning. "I know nothing about them." "You were in the gallery when----" "I came down to the gallery because I heard a noise," interrupted Walker furiously. "I told the police the story I told you. I did my best to catch the thieves, and now you have the audacity to accuse me." "I don't exactly accuse you----" "It looks very like it." "You must admit that your conduct is suspicious," protested the stockbroker. "I admit nothing of the sort." "People don't wander about a house after everyone is in bed, without a reason," snapped Tait, with a searching glance. George bore the scrutiny without flinching. "I have explained how I came to be wandering about," he declared proudly. "I was sitting by my fire, and on hearing a suspicious noise I came down, with what result you know. How dare you accuse me?" "I tell you again that I don't accuse you," vociferated Tait crossly. "But you have acted foolishly to say the least of it." "How else could I have acted?" "On hearing the noise you should have aroused me." "Had I done so I should not have been in time to see the thieves." "What good did you do by seeing them, since they have escaped? That is," added Tait slowly, "if there were two men. Stop!" he threw up his fat hand as the young man was about to speak angrily; "it is no use going round the bush. You may be innocent or you may not be. Your story may be true or it may be the reverse." "Mr. Tait"--George held his temper under by mere force of will--"why should I rob you?" The stockbroker opened his pig's eyes. "Why!" he demanded in amazement, "do I not know that you are desperately poor? Didn't Hale tell me only the other day that you wanted to marry his daughter, and could not do so for want of money? Oh, there are plenty of reasons why you should take twenty thousand pounds' worth of jewels. They can be unset and sold, in which case they will be difficult to trace. Had they been bank-notes, I don't believe that this burglary--so-called--would have taken place." George curled his lip. "You put things very clearly, sir," he said quietly, "and on the face of it, I admit that my conduct looks a trifle suspicious."