Miss Toat drummed on the table with her thin fingers, which were not unlike the claws of a bird of prey. "If the assassin used such a key," she remarked, "he must have examined the lock and have bought a key to fit. That would take some time, Mr. Shawe." "Well?" asked the barrister, puzzled. "Well," she repeated, raising her sandy eyebrows, "can't you see that the procuring of the key would take some time? Yet Lady Branwin slept at the Pink Shop on the spur of the moment, as it were, and merely had the diamonds with her by chance; since--according to her daughter--she was taking them to be reset by a jeweller. If I am right," added Miss Toat, with emphasis--"and I think that I am right in my surmise--the assassin must have had some idea beforehand that Lady Branwin would sleep in the room wherein she was murdered, and would have the diamonds with her." "But if, as you say, she slept there on the spur of the moment--" "Exactly. Therein lies the difficulty--the mystery to which I alluded. The arrangement of Lady Branwin to stay was decided in five minutes, let us say; yet the key to the door of the court must have taken a longer time to procure. And it is strange also," mused Perry Toat, "that the assassin should have known the plan of the shop. How did he learn that when within the court he would be able to gain entrance into the bedrooms, let alone the fact that he could not be sure any visitors were sleeping in them?" "Then you infer," said Shawe, promptly, "that the assassin must be someone attached to the Pink Shop?" "Why not--on the grounds that I have stated?" "Because the evidence went to show that everyone connected with the business accounted for their time. Madame Coralie, her husband, Zobeide, Badoura, and Parizade, to give them their fantastical names, were in the room devoted to preparing the wares on or about the very time the murder was being committed, according to the medical evidence. Peri Banou was in the shop, and is the only person who was on the same floor as that of the bedroom wherein the crime took place. Do you accuse her?" "I don't accuse anyone as yet. I shall go to the shop and ask questions." Shawe shook his head sceptically. "If things are as you hint, no one will answer any questions." "Oh, I think so," said Miss Toat, quietly. "I know how to ask questions." "Madame Coralie may not allow you to enter the shop." "Give me a five-pound note," said the detective lady, irrelevantly; and after Ralph had placed one in her hand, she continued: "With this I shall buy a few things to make me beautiful for ever"--there was a faint smile on her grey face as she spoke--"between whiles I shall keep my eyes open, and find out what I wish to know." "If you do, you're a wonder," said the barrister, quickly, for he was very doubtful of the success of her enterprise. "You can say that," said Miss Toat, in an unemotional tone, "when I indicate the assassin of Lady Branwin. Good-day."