“He’s bound to be caught sooner or later, though!” said Mr. Opdyke.
“Sure,” replied Partello. “No balls given without detectives now, gentlemen.”
“I’m surprised,” I put in, “not to see one here to-night.”
“How do you know there ain’t one?” demanded Opdyke, putting his single glass into his eye, and staring at me.
“Is there one?” I asked, as innocent as you please.
“I know nothing about it,” he said, shortly. I turned away, and began talking to a gentleman who stood near me. But I kept my eye upon everybody in the room.
“If the thief is here, he heard Welton’s foolish boast about the diamonds,” I reflected. “If he heard that he will try to get them, and there’s no better chance than now, while the gentlemen are busy with their cigars.”
I watched curiously to see who would be the first to leave the room, and made up my mind that I had got to do a little shadowing. I was right.
“Welton!” exclaimed Mr. Opdyke suddenly. “I don’t want to hurt your feelings, old fellow, but these cigars of yours are not worth a continental.”
“Bought ’em at Lark and Gilford’s anyhow!” retorted Welton. “They cawst twenty dollars a hundred, by Jove, so they ought to be good.”