"But it's gone," came quickly from Sam.
"Well, if you've got to know the truth, I'll tell you," growled the man, staring unsteadily at the boys. "It's in Miss Harrow's inkwell."
"Miss Harrow's inkwell!" repeated Tom, incredulously.
"Did you put it there?" questioned Sam.
"I did."
"Well, why in the world did you do that?" asked Tom, and made no effort to conceal his wonder.
"Why did I do it?" mumbled the man, unsteadily. "I did it to git Miss Harrow into trouble. I knowed she was responsible for the ring."
"Then you were in the office," declared Sam.
"Sure, I was there! If I wasn't, how would I a-seen that ring? I was told that Miss Harrow wanted to see me, an' I went to the office just at the same time when she came down to the stables where me and two of the other men had had a quarrel. It wasn't my fault, that quarrel wasn't, but them other fellers put it off on me and said 'twas because I had been drinkin'," continued Andy Royce, with a whine. "When I got to the office there wasn't nobuddy around. I saw that diamond ring layin' on the desk, and I picked it up——"
"You were going to steal it?" broke in Tom.