It had not for a moment occurred to this matter-of-fact Londoner that the crowns were “real.” Her words suddenly opened the eyes of the three men to a different view of the gold and precious stones before them. Knowing them to be genuine, they had seen them illuminated by the glow with which the consciousness of their value endowed them. Looking at them all at once from the landlady’s point of view, they saw that in the weak and murky daylight which came through the dirty window the jewels looked wonderfully little better than theatrical properties. The resourceful Amos hailed this idea with delight. Seizing one of the crowns, he held it over his own head, and asked gaily: “Well, Mrs. Williamson, what do you think of my crown? You didn’t know that I went in for acting, did you? I’m going to play Richard the Third to-night.” “And a very handsome-looking king too, I’m sure, sir. But you should have gone to ’Ales, in Wellington-street, for your crown, begging your pardon for suggesting it. He’d never have sent you such a one as that, with a dirty old piece of velvet in the middle not fit to touch. I’ve had a actor--not an amateur like you, sir, but one who did it for his living--on my third floor, and he had a much better one than that from ’Ales, much brighter and bigger jewels.” “Well, I must remember that for the next time. I think now this will have to serve my purpose.” “Mrs. Williamson thought they were real at first, I believe,” laughed Rees, throwing himself on the sofa. “Indeed, sir, I did not,” said the old woman indignantly. “I’ve not always been redooced to letting lodgings, and there was a time when I had jewellery of my own, though you mayn’t choose to believe it. And I don’t suppose now there’s many better judges about of what’s good than what I am, sir. However, I hadn’t come to tell you that, but to know whether I should lay the cloth for dinner?” “Certainly, and Mr. Goodhare will dine with us to-day,” said Rees. Sep and Rees had each a little room on the second floor, but Goodhare’s lodgings were at Westminster. There was too much business to be settled, however, for them to separate for the present. So they ate a hurried meal, had the table cleared, and then very gently, very noiselessly, opened the window and looked out.