“Can’t you guess?”
“I’m afraid not. I——”
“When he found that you had gone to the city with Mrs. Remsen, his first thought must have been one of panic, for he guessed that you would go straight to me with the story about him. The fact that he remained here, was perfectly cool when I arrived, and thoroughly the master of himself, is proof to anybody who knows Jimmy that he had prepared to strike back, and strike hard, if anything happened after your return.”
She nodded, and Nick continued:
“When you returned, nothing happened; but there is no doubt that he expected me, and was not in the least surprised when I appeared on the scene. Do you remember what he said when we were discussing the theft of the jewels?”
“Yes. About a woman having taken them? He meant me, did he not?”
“Surely. I understood it at the time, but he made it more plain, later on, in the summerhouse. He almost openly threatened you, in case anything happened to him.”
“With a revelation of my past, do you mean?”
“Worse than that. With accusing you directly with stealing the jewels, and proving it.”