Beecher blushed at the memory of the way in which he had been brought to disclose the information, and the confusion all at once revealed to the detective the probable means she had taken.
At this moment the door opened and a voice called him.
"Telephone, sir—personal."
When the detective had left, Beecher and Gunther looked at each other in amazement in which a curious doubt was beginning to form.
"Why the deuce should Slade give her the ring, Ted?" said Gunther abruptly.
"I don't know," Beecher answered, perplexed. "I know what you think—that's natural; but I don't believe it. She's deeper than that—that is, I think so."
But he ended perplexed, contracting his eyebrows, nervously jerking at a button on his coat.
McKenna reentered, and on his face was a smile of anticipation and mischief.
"Some one called me up just then," he said shortly; "some one I've been expecting to call me up. Guess who?"
"Slade," said Gunther, startled.