Maitrank plunged his hands into his pockets.
"I have been robbed!" he cried, "robbed of those diamonds! Ah, tell me what is this new trick you have played on me! Help! Help!"
He yelled aloud. The scream of rage and disappointment rang through the house. It caused a servant to turn over sleepily and wonder what the matter was, it roused little Mamie, and brought her up in bed with a scream of fear. Hetty heard it too, and wondered if murder was not being committed after all.
She could not stand there doing nothing. She ran downstairs and burst into the dining-room. She had a good excuse at the end of her tongue. The Countess turned upon her fiercely and demanded what she was doing there.
"Mamie," Hetty said simply. "The child has been greatly frightened. She is calling for you. Will you please go up at once?"
It was all so simple and natural that Leona Lalage could say nothing for a moment. The stranger was standing up searching his pockets wildly. His eyes gleamed with hatred and defeat and baffled avarice. He knew that he had been made the victim of some trick, but there was no name for it yet.
"I will come up," Leona said, anything to get Hetty out of the room. "It is very unfortunate that this should have happened here."
The door closed behind them. Maitrank's fingers crooked and reached for Balmayne.
"Dog," he hissed, "dog, I'll be even with you yet. How it has been managed I do not know yet, but I shall find out. My diamonds, give me my diamonds."
Balmayne took the bare throat of the speaker in his grip and shook Maitrank as a reed is shaken in the wind.