"Did you know that she was coming here?"
"My dear sir, I was the means of letting her know the jewels were still in the well. She is very hard up for money--I found that out at her house the other night--and that is why I waited here this evening. She is playing out my story, you see. And she has gone off for the present with your diamonds."
"Which will be a powerful weapon in her hands."
Lawrence laughed silently. He seemed to be intensely amused about something. He took a flat brown paper parcel from his pocket.
"You saw those people go off with the diamonds," he said. "You saw those gems flash and dazzle in the light of the lamp. I am going to give you a surprise now, and the surprise of our predatory friends will come later on. Your wife's gems were three rows of diamonds and a collar of the same set plain in silver."
"How did you know that?" Charlton asked.
Lawrence proceeded to unpack his parcel. Inside were two cases which he opened and exposed in the light of the flaming gas.
"Will you have the goodness to look at these," he asked.
Charlton did so. There was a blank surprise on his face.
"I should like to know what you make of them," said Lawrence.