"You're generous, sir. But you're mistaken. Miss Fayre is the culprit, and we'll fasten the theft on her yet."
"I hope not,—I sincerely hope not. But it's a queer business, Fenn, a very queer business."
"It's all of that, Mr. Forbes, but we'll get at the truth of it yet."
Meantime the four girls were talking over the matter. But not all together. The two D's, in their own room, and the other two girls in theirs were having separate confabs.
"Now, Dolly Fayre," Dotty was saying, "you tell me EVERYTHING you know about this thing! I don't want any holding back or concealing of any suspicions or doubts you may have."
"It isn't really a suspicion, Dotty, but I—will tell you. It's only that just as we left the room, the museum room I call it, yesterday afternoon, we were all out, and Alicia ran back. She said she had left her handkerchief on the table. And she went straight to that very table where I had laid the earring. Now, I can't suspect Alicia, but that's what she did."
"Well, Dolly," and Dotty looked thoughtful, "that's enough to cast suspicion on her. She went to that very table?"
"Yes. Of course, I didn't think anything about it at the time, but now
I remember it distinctly. That's why I wanted to go home and tell
Mother all about it, and ask her if I ought to tell Mr. Forbes about
Alicia."
"I see. I don't know myself what you ought to do. I've been thinking it might be Alicia all the time. I hate to suspect her, as much as you do. But if she ran back, and went to that table, and then the jewel that laid there was gone, it certainly looks queer. Decidedly queer."
"Well, what shall I do?"