"Every place where I've been has been searched—thoroughly. It's quite certain that it must have been picked up and pocketed."
"Then by a man, seeing that women have no pockets—except their husbands'. I'm beginning to feel quite like a detective already. By the way, lady, the notion of giving a reception in a house like this without a detective disguised as a guest was rather grotesque."
"But of course I had detectives!" Eve burst out. "I had two private ones. I thought one ought to be enough, but as soon as the agents saw the inventory of knicknacks and things, they advised me to have two men. One of them's here still. In fact he's waiting to see you. The Scotland Yard people are very annoying. They've refused to do anything until morning."
That Eve should have engaged detectives was something of a blow to the masculine superiority of Mr. Prohack. However, he kept himself in countenance by convincing himself in secret that she had not thought of the idea; the idea must have been given to her by another person—probably Mimi, who nevertheless was also a woman.
"And do you seriously expect me to interview a detective in the middle of the night?" demanded Mr. Prohack.
"He said he should like to see you. But of course if you don't feel equal to it, my poor boy, I'll tell him so."
"What does he want to see me for? I've nothing to do with it, and I know nothing."
"He says that as you bought the necklace he must see you—and the sooner the better."
This new aspect of the matter seemed to make Mr. Prohack rather thoughtful.