"And what did you want to see me about!" asked Fenton, taking Caprice's hand. "Nothing in particular," she replied carelessly; "the fact is, I haven't seen you for such a long time." "Then you do care for me a little?" Caprice shrugged her shoulders. "As much as I do for any man; but I didn't ask you to come here to make love. I want to talk seriously about giving up the stage." She was leading him on so that he should betray himself to the detective, and he walked straight into the trap. "Oh, you're tired of acting," said Fenton thoughtfully. "Yes; and of Melbourne. I want to go away." Fenton started, and wondered if she knew he was going away also. He thought for a moment, and then replied,-- "Then, why not come with me?" "With you!" cried Kitty derisively. "What about Mrs. Malton?" "I tell you, I don't care two straws about Mrs. Malton," he rejoined angrily. "I was only amusing myself with her." Amusing himself! The man outside ground his teeth together in anger, and clutched the packet of letters fiercely. "And what about your dear friend--her husband?" "Oh, Malton," said Fenton carelessly. "I don't know, nor do I care; he was a very useful man to me for a time. But, now, I'm off." "Off!--where?" "To Valparaiso. Yes, I'm sick of Australia, so I sail to-morrow morning for South America. Will you come with me, Kitty?" Kitty looked doubtful. "I don't know. We have no money." "I have plenty. I've arranged all that, and if there's a row, my dear friend Malton will have to bear it. But now, Kitty, I've told you all, you must come with me. We can live a delightful life in South America. I know it well, and some of the places are Paradises. Come, say you'll come to-night." He put his arms round her, and pressed a kiss on her lips. She shuddered at the impure caress, then pushing him away, arose to her feet. "Don't touch me," she said harshly, "you--you thief!" In a moment Fenton was on his feet, with an apprehensive look on his face. "Thief! thief!" he cried fiercely; "what do you mean?" "Mean," she said, turning on him like a tiger, "that I know now who stole my diamonds, Mr. Hiram Fenton." "Do you accuse me?" he asked, with a pale face, gripping her wrist. "Yes, I do," said Kitty, wrenching her wrist away, "and I've got a proof--this broken sleeve-link, dropped by you in my room on the night of the robbery." "It's a lie!" "It's true! I accuse you of stealing my diamonds. Detective Naball, arrest that man." Fenton started as Naball stepped out from behind the screen, and then folded his arms, with an evil smile. "So!" he said coolly, "this is a trap, I see; but I'm not to be caught in it. You say I stole your diamonds?" "I do," said Kitty boldly. "And your proof is that you picked up a broken sleeve-link?" "Yes." "Then, Mr. Detective," said Fenton, holding out both his wrists to Naball, "if you examine these, you will see neither of the links are broken."