Her tone supplied the capital letter.
He shrugged helplessly. “Proceed ...”
“Well,” she began with sublime insouciance, “you see, I’d been figuring all the while on getting the necklace home duty-free. And I finally hit upon what seemed a rather neat little plot. The hat was part of it; I bought it for the express purpose of smuggling the necklace in, concealed in its lining. Up to that point you weren’t involved. Then by happy accident I saw your name on the list. Instantly it flashed upon me, how I could make you useful. It was just possible, you see, that those hateful customs men might be shrewd enough to search the hat, too. How much better, then, to make you bring in the hat, all unsuspecting! They’d never think of searching it in your hands! You see?”
His face had been hardening during this amazing speech. When she stopped he shot in a crisp question:
“The necklace wasn’t in the hat when delivered to me? You didn’t trust it to the shop people over night?”
“Of course not. I merely sent you the hat; then—as I knew you would—you mentioned it to me aboard ship. I got you to bring it to my room, and then sent you out—you remember? While you waited I sewed the necklace in the lining; it took only an instant. Then Jane carried the hat back to your steward.”
“So,” he commented stupidly, “it wasn’t stolen!”
“Naturally not.”
“But you threw suspicion on Iff—”
“I daresay he was guilty enough in intent, if not in deed. There’s not the slightest doubt in my mind that he’s that man Ismay, really, and that he shipped with us for the especial purpose of stealing the necklace if he got half a chance.”