me wonder whether I have been awake to-day or not, was that there lay _a
used match_ on the very spot, as nearly as possible, where the brooch had
been--and it was broad daylight!"

Hewitt rubbed his nose and looked thoughtfully before him. "Um--curious,
certainly," he said, "Anything else?"

"Nothing more than you shall see for yourself. I have had the room locked
and watched till you could examine it. My sister-in-law had heard of your
name, and suggested that you should be called in; so, of course, I did
exactly as she wanted. That she should have lost that brooch, of all
things, in my house is most unfortunate; you see, there was some small
difference about the thing between my late wife and her sister when their
mother died and left it. It's almost worse than the Heaths' bracelet
business, and altogether I'm not pleased with things, I can assure you.
See what a position it is for me! Here are three ladies, in the space of
one year, robbed one after another in this mysterious fashion in my house,
and I can't find the thief! It's horrible! People will be afraid to come
near the place. And I can do nothing!"

"Ah, well, we'll see. Perhaps we had better turn back now. By-the-by, were
you thinking of having any alterations or additions made to your house?"

"No. What makes you ask?"

"I think you might at least consider the question of painting and
decorating, Sir James--or, say, putting up another coach-house, or
something. Because I should like to be (to the servants) the architect--or
the builder, if you please--come to look around. You haven't told any of
them about this business?"