“Why?” asked Mrs. Malplaquet.
“To secure our young friend here,” answered Bellward with a glance at Barbara.
Mrs. Malplaquet made a little grimace to bid him to be prudent in what he said before the girl.
“Bah!” the man laughed, “you understand nothing of what we are saying, do you?” he said, addressing Barbara.
The girl moved uneasily.
“I understand nothing of what you are saying,” she replied in a strained voice.
“This girl was the last person to have the jewel before Strangwise,” Bellward said, continuing his conversation with Mrs. Malplaquet, “and she is employed at the Headquarters of the Secret Service. Strangwise was satisfied that nobody connected him with the theft of the silver box which Nur-el-Din gave to this girl until our young lady here appeared at the Dyke Inn yesterday afternoon. Nur-el-Din played his game for him by detaining the girl. Strangwise believes—and I must say I agree with him—that probably two persons know where the Star of Poland is. One is this girl...”
“The other being the late Mr. Bellward?” queried Mrs. Malplaquet.
“Precisely. The late Mr. Bellward or Major Desmond Okewood!” said Bellward. “Between him and this girl here I think we ought to be able to recover Strangwise’s lost property for him!”
“But you haven’t got Okewood yet!” observed the lady in a mocking voice.