"Possibly."
"Or it may be the hysterical act of a woman who will never attempt to sell the ring."
"Possible—more than possible."
"And then it will never be found."
"That's right."
"But you don't think that's the case," said Gunther. "And you have an opinion."
McKenna gave him a quick look of appreciation.
"That's right; but it's not who took it, but why it was taken. In forty-eight hours I'll know a little bit more about the habits of the ladies and gentlemen we're dealing with, and then I'll be more communicative." He paused, with a little pardonable pleasure in the mystification he was preparing, and added: "In forty-eight hours I'll give you a little story about each of the persons who were at that party which'll beat anything in the story-telling line you ever came up against. Now, Mr. Beecher, before we get down to questions, here's one thing I want you to do. Find out from Mrs. Kildair what's her detective agency. Say you've a friend who's trying to track a valet for stealing and want a good address—see?"
"You are not going to shadow the detectives?" said Gunther curiously.
"You bet I am, till I know more about them," said McKenna. "Young man, I can tell you more than twenty cases I've been on where the detective who was called in to make a search went cahoots with the thief."