"Well, you can give it to me again," she said coolly. "Put it on the table, and go away."
Fenton thought a moment, then, going over to the table, placed the jewel thereon, and turned once more to Caprice.
"Look here, Kitty," he said slowly, "did you do anything with those diamonds?"
"Perhaps I did, and perhaps I didn't," replied Caprice enigmatically; "at all events, I'm not going to have any more fuss made over them."
"Well, good-bye at present," said Fenton carelessly. "I say, you might give me a kiss, after fixing up Malton's affair."
"So I will--at the theatre to-night. Do leave me, my head is so bad."
"Not so bad as you are, you little devil," murmured Fenton, closing the sitting-room door softly after him. "Well, I guess there'll be no more trouble about those diamonds, at all events."
[CHAPTER XIII.]
THE GOSSIP OF CLUBS.
It was called "The Skylarks' Club," because, like those tuneful birds, the members were up very early in the morning. Not that the aforesaid members were early risers by any means--but because they never went to bed till three or four o'clock. To put it plainly, they stayed up nearly all night, and it seemed to be a point of honour with them that, as long as a quorum were on the premises, the club should be kept open.