"About six weeks ago," replied the Earl promptly. "As a rule the jewels are kept at my bankers in London. The Countess wanted them to wear at the Hunt Ball, so I fetched them from London myself. Then, as we were going off to the Continent two days after the ball, and sailing direct from Kingsport to Hamburg, I didn't want the bother of going up to town with them, and I thought of Horbury. So I drove in here with them one evening--the night before we sailed, as a matter of fact--and asked him to lock them up until our return. And as I said just now, we only got home the night before last, and we're going up to town tomorrow, and the Countess wants them to take with her. Of course, you've got 'em all right?" Gabriel Chestermarke spread out his hands. "I know nothing whatever about them!" he said. "I never heard of them being here." "Nor I," affirmed Joseph. "Not a word!" Gabriel looked at Neale, and drew Lord Ellersdeane's attention to him. "Our senior clerk--Mr. Neale," he said. "Neale--have you heard of this transaction?" "Never!" replied Neale. "Mr. Horbury never mentioned it to me." Gabriel waved his hand towards the open door of the strong room. "Any valuables of that sort would have been in there," he remarked. "There is nothing of that sort there--beyond what I and my nephew know of. I am sure your lordship's jewels are not there." "But--Horbury?" exclaimed the Earl. "Where is he? He would tell you!" "We don't know where Mr. Horbury is," answered Gabriel "The truth may as well be told--he's missing. And so are some of our most valuable securities." The Earl slowly looked from one partner to another. His face flushed, almost as hotly as if he himself had been accused of theft. "Oh, come!" he said. "Horbury, now, of all men! Come--come!--you don't mean to tell me that Horbury's been playing games of that sort? There must be some mistake." "I shall be glad to be assured that I am making it," said Gabriel coolly. "But it will be more to the purpose if your lordship will tell us all about the deposit of these jewels. And--there's an important matter which I must first mention. We have not the honour of reckoning your lordship among our customers. Therefore, whatever you handed to Horbury was handed to him privately--not to us." Joseph Chestermarke nodded his head at that, and the Earl stirred a little uneasily in his chair. "Oh, well!" he said. "I--to tell you the truth, I didn't think about that, Mr. Chestermarke. It's true I don't keep any account with you--it's never seemed--er, necessary, you know. But, of course, I knew Horbury so well--he's a member of our golf club and our archæological society--that----" "Precisely," interrupted Gabriel, with a bow. "You came to Mr. Horbury privately. Not to the firm."