Of what use was it to wait there? So she switched off the light in case Bracondale should return and wonder, and passed into the adjoining room. What if Bracondale came back before the exchange were effected? She stood holding her breath, listening in eager anxiety. Suddenly the telephone-bell rang in the study, and in order that Jenner might not hear it and descend to answer it, she hurried to the instrument herself. It was a call from the British Embassy in Paris. One of the secretaries spoke to her, asking whether his Excellency the Ambassador might speak to his lordship upon an important matter. "Lord Bracondale is not in. I am Lady Bracondale," she replied. "When do you expect Lord Bracondale back?" the voice inquired. "Soon after twelve. Will you ring up again? Tell Sir Charles that I will at once tell my husband when he returns," she said, and then rang off. Meanwhile a dark figure, which had stealthily crept along the road, entered the gate and stole noiselessly over the grass to the verandah. The man had been watching the house for an hour past, and, as though with sudden resolution, he made up his mind to enter. At first he seemed fearful of discovery. Indeed, for a full half-hour had he lurked motionless beneath a tree, waiting, and, though there was complete silence in that still, oppressive night, yet he appeared to hesitate. All the rooms on the ground floor were in darkness save for the study, the curtains of which were only half-closed. Therefore, as he approached the house, he saw Lady Bracondale alone, speaking into the telephone. Suddenly, with an agile movement, he scaled the verandah, and a few seconds later, without making a sound, he stood before the window against the entrance porch--the window of the little _salon_ which Jean had indicated where the pearls would be. His movements betrayed that he was an expert at moving without making a sound. Bending, the dark figure, still moving stealthily, crept up to the long window upon which there suddenly flashed a small zone of white light from an electric pocket-lamp, revealing the fact that, though the heavy curtain was drawn, the window was ajar. For a few seconds the man listened. Then, having reassured himself that there was no one in the room, he slowly pushed back the curtain and peered into the darkness. Suddenly he heard a footstep and, dropping the curtain instantly, stood in the darkness, quite motionless. Somebody entered the room, switched on the light, crossed to the centre of the apartment, stood there for a few seconds, and then, receding, switched off the light again and closed the door. The intruder stood in the room behind the curtain without moving a muscle. He could hear sounds of footsteps within the house. He had closed the long glass door when he had entered, and now stood concealed behind the yellow plush curtain.