"She must be out," he said. "Do you say you found him?"

"Yes--I found him," answered Lauriston. "Just now."

"And what were you doing here?" asked the man. "Who are you?"

Lauriston fancied he detected a faint note of suspicion in these
questions, and he drew himself up, with a flush on his face.

"My name's Andrew Lauriston," he answered. "I live close by. I came in on
--business. Who are you?"

"Well, if it comes to that, my lad," said the man, "I'm Detective-Sergeant
Ayscough--known well enough around these parts! I came to see the old
gentleman about these papers. Now--what was your business, then?"

He was watching Lauriston very keenly, and Lauriston, suddenly realizing
that he was in an awkward position, determined on candour.

"Well, if you really want to know," he said, "I came to borrow some money
--on these rings."

And he opened his left hand and showed the detective the two rings which
he had taken from his trunk--not half-an-hour before.

"Your property?" asked Ayscough.

"Of course they're my property!" exclaimed Lauriston. "Whose else should
they be?"