Miss Pride uttered a shrill cry of satisfaction; Mrs. Standish said sharply: "Aunt Abby's solitaire!"
To this chorus Mr. Lyttleton added a drawl: "Well, I'm damned!"
Unable longer to contain her alarm and curiosity, Sally sprang from her chair and confronted four accusing countenances.
"What do you know about this?" the detective demanded.
Clipped between his thumb and forefinger a huge diamond coruscated in the light of the electrics.
Momentarily the earth quaked beneath Sally's feet.
Her eyes were fixed on the ring and blank with terror; her mouth dropped witlessly ajar; there was no more colour in her face than in this paper; never a countenance spelled guilt more damningly than hers.
"Yes!" Miss Pride chimed in triumphantly.
"What have you to say to this, young woman?"
Sally heard, as if remotely, her own voice ask hoarsely: "What--what is it'?"