“It may be a bluff, some clever scheme to throw me off the track and I’m not going to risk a mix-up with the Harringtons or tip my hand till I’m absolutely sure. It don’t pay me to make big mistakes. You say Denby’s your friend, well, then, it’ll be easy to find out. If you discover that the necklace is in the tobacco-pouch, get him to go for a walk in the garden; say you want to look at the moon, say anything, so long as you get him into the garden where we’ll be on the lookout and grab him.” “But he might go out there alone,” she suggested. “If he does,” Taylor assured her, “we won’t touch him, but if he comes out there with you, we’ll _know_.” “But if I can’t get him into the garden?” she urged. “Something may happen to prevent me!” “If you’re sure he has it on him,” Taylor instructed her, “or if you make out where it is concealed, pull down one of these window-shades. My men and I can see these from the garden. When we get your signal we’ll come in and arrest him. Sure you understand?” “I’m to pull down the window-shade,” she repeated. “That’s it, but be careful, mind. Don’t bring him out in the garden, and don’t signal unless you are absolutely certain.” “Yes, yes,” she said. “And under no circumstances,” he commanded, “must you mention my name.” “But,” she argued, “suppose--” “There’s no ‘buts’ and no ‘supposes’ in it,” he said sharply. “It’s most important to the United States Government and to me, that my identity is in no way disclosed.” “It may be necessary,” she persisted. “It _cannot_ be necessary,” he said with an air of finality. “If it comes to a show-down and you tell Denby I’m after him, I’ll not only swear I never saw you, but I’ll put your sister in prison. Now, good night, Miss Cartwright, and remember you’ve got something at stake, too, so don’t forget--Denby to-night.” He went silently through the French windows and disappeared, leaving her to face for the second time in a day an outlook that seemed hopeless. But she was not the only one in the great Harrington mansion to feel that little zest was left in life. Monty was obsessed with the idea that his friend’s long delay was due to his having been held up. The automobile lends itself admirably to highway robbery, and it would be easy enough for armed robbers to overpower Denby and the chauffeur. Directly he heard Denby’s voice talking to Lambart as he was shown into his room, Monty burst in and wrung his hands again and again. “Why, Monty,” his friend said, “you overpower me.” “I thought you’d been held up and robbed,” the younger man cried. “Neither one nor the other,” Denby said cheerfully, “I was merely the victim of two blow-outs. But,” he added, looking keenly at his confederate, “if I had been held up the pearls wouldn’t have been taken. I didn’t happen to have them with me.”