“Telephone Brown to notify you the minute she does. Tell him we’ve got to know as soon as possible whether Denby declares that necklace; everything depends on that.” “But he may declare it,” Duncan observed sagely. “If he does we haven’t a case,” his superior said briefly, “but I’ve a feeling there’s not going to be a declaration.” “I think so, too,” Duncan asserted, “and I’m holding Ford and Hammett to search him.” Taylor frowned and drummed on the desk with his fingers. “I don’t know that I want him searched. Let them do nothing without my instructions.” “But, Chief,” Duncan protested, “if he doesn’t declare the necklace and you don’t have him searched he’ll smuggle it in.” “I know, I know,” Taylor said impatiently, “but I’ve got to be cautious how I go about taking liberties with a friend of Michael Harrington’s. He has more influence than you’ve any idea of. We’ve got to be sure we have the goods on Denby.” Duncan looked at the other with grudging admiration. “Well, I guess it won’t take R. J. very long to land him.” Taylor turned on the speaker with a scowl. “What’s he got to do with this?” “I thought you might have interested him in it,” Duncan said meaningly. “I don’t know anything about him,” Taylor returned. It was like the Chief to refuse to take his underlings into his confidence, Duncan thought, so he took his cue and changed the subject. “Well,” he said, reverting to the proposed search of Denby, “if we don’t go through him at the dock, what are we going to do?” “Let him slide through easily and think he’s fooled us,” Taylor said. “He may be pretty clever. Do you remember that man who stuck the sapphire we were hunting for into a big rosy apple he gave to a woman in the second cabin and then took it away from her before she had time to eat it? We’ll see if he talks to anyone, but I think he’ll take the pearls right down to Westbury. He’ll be off his guard when once he gets down there.” “Have you got one of the Harrington servants to spy for us?” Duncan cried. “I’ve got what will be better than that with a little luck,” Taylor said with a smile. “Don’t you know that Miss Ethel Cartwright is going down to Westbury this afternoon to spend the week-end with the Harringtons?” “You don’t mean you’re going to use her?” Duncan exclaimed, incredulity in his tone. “It wouldn’t be a bad idea, would it, Jim?” “It would be a peach of an idea if you could do it, but can you?” Taylor chuckled. It was plain he had some scheme in his crafty brain that pleased him more than a little. “I’m going to answer that as soon as I’ve had a little confidential chat with Miss Cartwright.” He broke off to turn to the doorway through which Gibbs’ head protruded. “Can I see you now, Chief?” Gibbs asked. “What is it?” Taylor snapped. “There’s a deaf and dumb chicken out here,” Gibbs replied anxiously. “A what?” the other demanded.