"I have a case for you, Mr. Carter, if you will take it," he said.
"State it," replied Nick.
"It's a robbery case, and a mighty queer one. I don't pretend to understand it or any part of it."
"Who's been robbed?"
"My uncle, Colonel Richmond, or, I should say, his daughter, Mrs. Pond. But the robbery affects my uncle perhaps more seriously than his daughter. It is on his account that I am here."
"Tell the story."
"I'll do it, but first let me say that whatever others may think of the case, I believe it's just simply theft. Mrs. Pond has a lot of jewelry and somebody is stealing it a piece at a time.
"That's my view, but my uncle's is different. He says that these robberies are not the work of human hands.
"Now, as for me, I try to keep my feet on the earth all the time. I want you to understand right at the start that I don't believe in any stuff about ghosts and hobgoblins.
"In my opinion, ghosts that steal diamonds ought to be in the jug, and will probably get there unless they turn over a new leaf.