He had heard that voice before, but at the moment he could not tell where, or when it was.
"What have you done with it?" asked a man in a low tone, which Jack caught, nevertheless, all being silent in the place.
"How I know where I have lose it?" answered the woman. "I have be in a many exciting time. If there was suspicion you should not give it. I do not know, and maybe I show it to some friend to make her jealous."
"Did you?" growled the man. "You should have more sense."
"But you do not tell me. Now it is lose. I do not know where. I am glad. You should not have give me it."
Jack now recognized the voice as that of the nurse who had taken the Van der Donk child from him the night before, but he was still at a loss to know what she was talking about.
"I gave it to you to keep safe for me until I could dispose of it," the man answered. "The detectives were after me. Luckily I got rid of it in good time, but now that they have nothing against me I can dispose of it to advantage. And you have lost it?"
"I have tell you that I have," the woman answered in her high voice, with a strong foreign accent, Jack now remembering that she had seemed to be French or Italian, although he had met her but a few moments. "I have lose it, and I am glad. Why shall I get into prison for you? You shall keep your gold and diamond watches for yourself, and not give them to me."
"Sh! not so loud!" cautioned the man. "Somebody may hear you."
It was the watch he had found in his pocket that the woman was talking about, and Jack had some trouble in restraining his surprise.