"Oh, gracious an' good 'eavens!" cried Bliggings, "she's a-lyin' down in company with a linseed poultase an' a cup of tea, both bein' good for removin' 'eadaches." "Great Scot!" said Fenton impatiently, pushing the voluble Bliggings aside, "I'll go and see her straight off myself." He went upstairs and knocked at the sitting-room door. Hearing a faint voice telling him to come in, he entered the room, which he found in semi-darkness, with the pungent aroma of _eau de cologne_ pervading the atmosphere. "What do you want?" asked Kitty fretfully, thinking it was the servant. "To see you," replied Fenton gruffly. "Oh, it's you!" cried Caprice, sitting up on the sofa, looking pale and wan in her white dress. "I'm glad of that--I've just seen that Naball, and he's been accusing me of stealing my own jewels." "Well, did you?" asked Fenton complacently. "Of course I didn't," she retorted angrily; "why should I? Naball thinks I did it to replace the money Malton stole." "How did he find out that?" asked Fenton, who knew quite well he had told him about it himself. "He overheard Mrs. Malton thanking me," retorted Kitty impatiently; "the money has been replaced, so I suppose, you did it." "Yes, I did," said Fenton boldly, "for your sake." "You're a good fellow, Fenton," said Kitty, in a softened tone. "I'm glad you did what I asked you--now, go away, for I must get a sleep, or I'll never be able to act to-night." "But what about this jewel?" asked Fenton, taking the crescent out of his pocket. "Naball said you denied it being yours." "So I did," replied Caprice pettishly. "But why? I gave it to you." "Well, you can give it to me again," she said coolly. "Put it on the table, and go away." Fenton thought a moment, then, going over to the table, placed the jewel thereon, and turned once more to Caprice. "Look here, Kitty," he said slowly, "did you do anything with those diamonds?" "Perhaps I did, and perhaps I didn't," replied Caprice enigmatically; "at all events, I'm not going to have any more fuss made over them." "Well, good-bye at present," said Fenton carelessly. "I say, you might give me a kiss, after fixing up Malton's affair." "So I will--at the theatre to-night. Do leave me, my head is so bad." "Not so bad as you are, you little devil," murmured Fenton, closing the sitting-room door softly after him. "Well, I guess there'll be no more trouble about those diamonds, at all events." CHAPTER XIII. THE GOSSIP OF CLUBS. It was called "The Skylarks' Club," because, like those tuneful birds, the members were up very early in the morning. Not that the aforesaid members were early risers by any means--but because they never went to bed till three or four o'clock. To put it plainly, they stayed up nearly all night, and it seemed to be a point of honour with them that, as long as a quorum were on the premises, the club should be kept open.