“Bab,” she said, pulling her sister to one side, “do you see that tall, blond man, with the little, curly mustache? He is one of the detectives. I can’t find out where the other one is.”
A little later Ralph Ewing, who was still strolling around by himself, felt his face flush, partly with wounded pride, partly with anger. Barbara was not talking to Mollie. She was standing some distance off from the other guests, having an earnest conversation with a man whom Ralph knew to be a stranger in Newport.
Ralph was too proud to linger near them, since Bab had said so plainly she wanted none of his society. If he could have heard what she was saying he would have been even more horrified.
“Yes,” Barbara promised, “if you will come somewhere near us, when we are all together, this evening, I will give you a signal to show you the man I mean. His name is Townsend. He looks very young, is slender and is of medium height. Suppose, when you see us, I bow my head slowly in the direction of the man I mean? If you understand me, you can return my bow. Can you search him before he leaves the grounds?”
“No, miss.” The detective shook his head. “It would be impossible. He hasn’t the jewel on him now. If he’s the man we think he is, he is too smooth for that. He must have a confederate. If we search him here, and find no proof of his guilt, he will know all about us and our suspicions. Can’t you see, then, he would just clear out and leave us here to whistle for our pains?”
“Yes, I see,” said Bab.
“Thank you, miss, for telling us,” the detective continued. “I must say that emerald story sounds like the real thing. You’ve only guessed about the butterfly theft; but I think you’ve guessed right. Now we must go easy. If there is a Raffles, here in Newport, he is out for more plunder. He’ll make another bold attempt, and that will be our chance.”
“Well, I must go on back now to my friends,” murmured Barbara, uneasily. It seemed strange to be taken into confidence by the detective, as though she were in the same line of business. “I suppose you and the other detective can manage, now, to secure the thief. I would rather not have anything more to do with the matter.” Barbara gave a little shiver of repulsion.
“Oh, now, young lady,” protested the detective, “you mustn’t go back on us, just as the game commences. To catch a society thief we must have help from the inside. The best detective in the service can’t get on without it.”
“Where have you been, Bab?” inquired Miss Sallie, anxiously, when Barbara joined her friends a few minutes later. “I was beginning to get uneasy about you. Mrs. Cartwright wants us to come into the house for an informal dance. Do you feel well enough to go? I don’t think you look very well, child.”