"How came you to submit these ornaments to Mr. Ahrens?"
"I don't mind telling you. Not in the least! I happened to want some money. I didn't care to ask the Earl for it. I thought of those things--you had charged me £800 for them, so I thought that he would let me have £200 upon them as a loan. When he told me that they were nothing but rubbish I thought I should have had a fit."
"Where have they been in the interval between your purchasing them from us and your taking them to Mr. Ahrens?"
"Where have they been? Where do you suppose they've been? They have been in my jewel case, of course."
Mr. Golden replaced the ornaments in their satin beds. He closed the case.
"Every inquiry shall be made into the matter, Countess, you may rest assured of that. We cannot afford to lose our money, any more than you can afford to lose your diamonds."
Directly the lady's back was turned Mr. Ruby put a question to his partner. "Well, are they false?"
"They are. It is a good imitation, one of the best imitations I remember to have seen. Still it is an imitation."
"Do you--do you think she did it?"
"That is more than I can say. Still, when a lady buys diamonds on Saturday, upon credit, and takes them to a pawnbroker on Tuesday, to raise money on them, one may be excused for having one's suspicions."