"I will be delighted to give it," answered Dowker gravely, taking a seat. "I am anxious to make Mr. Desmond all the reparation in my power, as I was the unconscious cause of all his trouble."
"You only acted according to your duty," said Norwood in a business-like tone, "the evidence against my client was very strong, but the evidence against Sir Rupert----"
"Is stronger still," finished the detective. "Exactly; but we have to find out that evidence. Lord Calliston and Mr. Desmond can swear they saw him in Piccadilly following his wife, and the latter saw him wrench the locket off his wife's neck; now I want to find that locket, and also--if possible--the dagger with which the crime was committed."
Norwood shrugged his shoulders.
"You may be certain he would not keep dangerous evidence like that about."
"Pardon me; I think he would, because, taking the case as a whole it would have been impossible to bring his guilt home to him but for the circumstance of his being recognised by Lord Calliston and Mr. Desmond; even if he did not keep the dagger he would certainly retain the locket."
"Why?" asked May.
"Because he would never dream that there would be any question of the locket being brought in evidence--had it not been for the mark on the neck of the wrenching off, no one would have ever known that Lady Balscombe wore a locket."
"Oh! but I knew," said May eagerly; "she had a large gold locket with a thin gold chain--she always wore it."
"Why did she attach such value to it?" asked Norwood.