"Ah, Edna," he answered sadly, "how you can take the grace out of life! You can make even the present of a splendid string of pearls seem ungracious. I never gave them to you. I let you wear them while you were my wife--a mistake, for when you ceased to be my wife you would not give them back--natural, but hardly honest." "That's absolutely untrue," said Edna. He did not allow her to ruffle him. "But now," he went on, "I do give them to you--freely and completely. Be witness, Albertson, that I present this string of pearls to this lady--who was once my wife." Edna was examining them pearl by pearl. "They seem to be all right," she said. "The number is right. What's this?" she added, indicating an emerald drop which had never been on them before. "That's an extra; that's interest on the money," answered Conway with a flourish; "that's an expression of thanks for your courtesy in letting me have them at a moment when they meant so much to me." This recalled the question of how he had obtained them. "Gordon," she said, "did you steal those out of my safe?" He shook his head. "You can't steal what is already your own." "I can't see how in the world you got them," said Edna, "unless that woman is a confederate. Did she give them to you?" "I don't even know what woman you mean, Edna," he answered. "If you mean a magnificent Hebe who was coming into the house in a hurry as I was going out the other day, I may say I should always be glad to be her confederate in anything--one of the few times in my life, Edna, I was actually sorry to leave your house. No, I did not go to your safe, although I am interested to know that you have one." "That's where they were," said Edna indignantly, looking round. "The pearls were locked up in the safe. I know that." "Like so much of your more positive information, my dear, that, too, is wrong," said Conway. "You had them on when I called. And as we talked they came unfastened, and you took them off and laid them on the table beside you. Something told me that you had not been aware of what you did, and so when you refused so very roughly to lend me the sum of money I needed I simply took back my pearls--when you were not looking." "Gordon," said Edna, "you stole my pearls." And her tone had a note of triumph as if the old delight of putting him in the wrong had not entirely died. "I took my pearls from the table," said Conway, "and turned them for a few days into cash, with which I know you will be glad to know I made a lot of money--a pot of money, Albertson--there is money still to be made on the races for a smart fellow who knows how; and then, my dear, with a quixotic impulse I gave you the pearls, as I have always thought of doing. Some men might have given them to a younger and more amiable woman, but my nature has always been distinguished by a peculiar form of loyalty. I give them to you--for the sake of old times."