It might be that she had some motive for making these articles vanish. Perhaps she had some need of money, and was secretly selling them against the wish of her husband and her father.
So, when Nick took that key and went toward that room he did not expect to find the three diamond pins in the position described by the lady.
He found the door locked, and he opened it by means of the key. Then he locked it behind him, leaving the key in the lock.
He turned at once to a dressing-table.
The three pins were there, just as Mrs. Pond had said.
Nick laughed softly to himself.
"That looks bad for my first shot at this queer case," he said; "but perhaps she didn't dare work the game while I was in the house."
He glanced out of the window of the room.
Two servants were in the yard. They seemed to be explaining the robberies to a new driver of a groceryman's wagon, for they had one of his arms apiece, and were pointing to the window.
Nick walked into the sitting-room, and spent some minutes examining the walls, and especially the door leading toward the old part of the house.