"Well, it's gone."
Molly had risen with shining eyes.
"I thought as much. So my dear darling George is innocent after all."
Very few people in this civilised world have ever seen a baffled tigress, but anybody who could have watched Mrs. Waddington's face at this moment would have gained a very fair knowledge of how baffled tigresses look.
"I don't believe it," she said sullenly.
"Well, the necklace has gone, hasn't it," said Sigsbee H. "And you don't suppose any of the guests took it, do you? Though I wouldn't put it past that Lord Hunstanton guy. Of course that girl has got it. She fainted on the wedding-present table, didn't she? She said she wanted air and rushed out, didn't she? And nobody's seen her since, have they? If it hadn't been for going for my long country walk, I'd have got on to this hours ago.
"I'm going straight to New York to see George and tell him," said Molly, breathing quickly.
"You will do nothing of the kind," said Mrs. Waddington, rising.
"And I'm going to New York to see the police," said Sigsbee.
"You are certainly not! I will go to New York, and I will inform the police. You and Molly will stay here."