“Where are they, then?” he says, quick and sharp. “Jeffers says she saw them in that case an hour ago. They are not in the case now. Do either you or she know where they are?” I was down on my knees, picking up the bottles that had been knocked over by the empty jewel-case. “Not I, God knows,” I said, and I began to cry. “The matter must be put in the hands of the police at once,” my lord said. “I’ll have the hotel policeman here in a few minutes, and the rooms searched. Jeffers and Chawlmers and their luggage will be searched to-morrow.” My lady gave a sort of gasp. I was close to her feet, and I heard her. But, for myself, I just broke down, and, kneeling on the floor with the overturned bottles spilling cologne all around me, cried worse than I’ve done since I was in short frocks. “Oh, my lady, I didn’t take them! I didn’t! You know I didn’t!” I sobbed out. My lady looked very miserable. “My poor Jeffers,” she said, and put her hand on my shoulder, “I’m sure you didn’t. If I’d only a sixpence in the world I’d stake that on your honesty.” Lord Castlecourt didn’t say anything. He went to the bell and pressed it. When the boy answered it he gave him a message in a low tone, and it didn’t seem five minutes before two men were in the room. I did not know till afterward that one was the manager, and the other the hotel policeman. I stopped my crying the best I could, and heard my lord telling them that the diamonds were gone, and that Chawlmers and I had been the only people in the room all the afternoon. Then he said he wanted them to communicate at once with Scotland Yard, and have a capable detective sent to the hotel. “Lady Castlecourt and I are going to dinner,” he said, looking at his watch. “We will have to leave, at the latest, within the next twenty minutes.” Lady Castlecourt cried out at that: “Herbert, I don’t see how I can go to that dinner. I am altogether too upset, and, besides, it will be too late. It’s eight o’clock now.” “We can make the time up in the carriage,” my lord said; and he went into the next room with the policeman, where they talked together in low voices. I helped my lady on with her cloak, and she stood waiting, her eyebrows drawn together, looking very pale and worried. When my lord came back he said nothing, only nodded to my lady that he was ready, and, without a word, they left the room. I tried to tidy the bureau and pick up the bottles as well as I could, and every time I looked at the door into the sitting-room I saw that policeman’s head peering round the door-post at me.