"Not a word. Nobody knows but my relatives and Lloyd. I took every
precaution myself, at once. As to your little disguise, be the architect
by all means, and do as you please. If you can only find this thief and
put an end to this horrible state of affairs, you'll do me the greatest
service I've ever asked for--and as to your fee, I'll gladly make it
whatever is usual, and three hundred in addition."

Martin Hewitt bowed. "You're very generous, Sir James, and you may be sure
I'll do what I can. As a professional man, of course, a good fee always
stimulates my interest, although this case of yours certainly seems
interesting enough by itself."

"Most extraordinary! Don't you think so? Here are three persons, all
ladies, all in my house, two even in the same room, each successively
robbed of a piece of jewelry, each from a dressing-table, and a used match
left behind in every case. All in the most difficult--one would say
impossible--circumstances for a thief, and yet there is no clue!"

"Well, we won't say that just yet, Sir James; we must see. And we must
guard against any undue predisposition to consider the robberies in a
lump. Here we are at the lodge gate again. Is that your gardener--the man
who left the ladder by the lawn on the first occasion you spoke of?"

Mr. Hewitt nodded in the direction of a man who was clipping a box border.

"Yes; will you ask him anything?"

"No, no; at any rate, not now. Remember the building alterations. I think,
if there is no objection, I will look first at the room that the