"But I didn't do anything of the sort."
It was Joan's turn to look bewildered.
"But you have got the scarab, Mr. Marson?"
"Why, you have got it!"
"No!"
"But—but it has gone!"
"I know. I went down to the museum last night, as we had arranged; and when I got there there was no scarab. It had disappeared."
They looked at each other in consternation. Ashe was the first to speak.
"It was gone when you got to the museum?"
"There wasn't a trace of it. I took it for granted that you had been down before me. I was furious!"