"I suspected one of the servants to be in communication with the thief, but a month's close surveillance upsets that theory. The servants are innocent."
"Did none of the less valuable jewellery ever find its way to the pawnbrokers?"
"Not a single thing. Everybody has been on the alert, but we are just as far forward as when we commenced."
"Your advertisements were peculiarly worded. Did they bring no replies?"
"Only some ridiculous suggestions."
You see you labour under this difficulty. You cannot offer through the public prints to compound a felony; that would be illegal; and the thief is not such a fool, after running the tremendous risk and getting such a magnificent haul, to take the bait. He fancies the large reward hides a trap which will hold him fast for many years."
"In all such cases that is the difficulty we labour under. In offering a reward we rely chiefly on a dissatisfied accomplice taking Queen's evidence, but it is almost certain that there was only one man in this business."
"How do you arrive at that conclusion?" I enquired.
"Five minutes after the robbery took place the investigation commenced, and everybody was questioned. The porters did not see any two men near the spot but there were several men lounging about singly by themselves."