“Is that a fact?” asked Chick, in surprise.
Nick then related, in brief, the story of the afternoon’s work.
“Here is the mystery,” said Chick. “How did the men get the diamonds? They did not penetrate the house farther than the west room. Who gave them the gems, then? And who killed Alvin Maynard? Again, the burglars were not in a position to do it! They never got to that front room. Were there two sets of criminals in the house last night, each acting with a different purpose in view?”
Nick smiled, but attempted no explanation.
He had his own notion about things, but he was not ready to tell the story of the crime, even to his assistant.
The detectives were now walking side by side under the orchard trees, perhaps fifty yards back of the house. They had followed the track taken in the morning.
It was a moonlight night, but there were heavy banks of clouds in the sky, and now and then the landscape was in darkness.
“Here we are at the path leading to the house,” said Nick, “and we may as well find out what Charley Maynard is thinking of. How does he take the loss of his diamonds now that the excitement has worn off?”
“Like the sensible fellow that he is,” was the reply. “And it has been discovered that he is not broke if he never gets the diamonds. He was Alvin’s favorite, and the old man was rich. Charley gets a couple of millions.”