"No!" he said. "No—she wouldn't. But the scoundrels would figure on this—that when she was fairly in their power they would be in a position to make her give them up—to force her, in short, to disclose their whereabouts. If they're desperate villains, not likely to stick at anything, I think they'll have forced madame to compliance—and in doing so give you a chance to lay hands on them!"
"How, my lord?" asked Matherfield eagerly.
Lord Morradale gave the two men a confidential glance.
"This way," he replied. "The jewels were deposited, for safety, by Madame Listorelle at the Imperial Safe Deposit. She rents a safe there. Now, don't you see what I'm suggesting? These men may force her to give them the necessary key and a signed order to the safe people to let the bearer open madame's safe and take away a certain case in which the jewels are packed. That's what I think will be done. And what you ought to do is to see the Imperial Safe Deposit officials at once, warn them of what I suggest may happen, and take your own means of watching for such a messenger arriving, and for tracking him when he departs. Eh?"
"Or arresting him there and then," said Matherfield.
"No, I shouldn't!" declared Lord Morradale. "I'm not a policeman, you know, but I can give a hint to one. Instead of arresting the man—who, you must remember, will be sure to have madame's written authority on him—that is if things turn out as I suggest—I should carefully follow him. For—he'll probably go back to where madame and the young lady, Miss What's-her-name, are detained! Eh?"
Matherfield shook his head.
"I should doubt that, my lord!" he answered. "If things work out as you suggest,—and it's a highly probable theory—that's about the last thing he would do! Once the jewels were in his possession——"
"You forget this," interrupted Lord Morradale. "They may use a catspaw! Eh?"
"Well, there's that in it, certainly," assented Matherfield. "However, I'll see that the Imperial Safe Deposit people are warned and that this entrance is carefully watched to-morrow morning. But—the thing may have been done already! There's been plenty of time since the ladies were carried off."