"The whole thing, the theft of the Princess Nastirsevitch's jewels from your cousin, of Miss de Longarde's or Lennard's jewels, was the work of a peculiarly clever gang--though it may be of an individual--who made use of both Lydenberg and the French maid as instruments, and subsequently murdered those two in order to silence them forever.

I say it may be the work of an individual--it's quite possible that the man who killed the Frenchwoman is also the man who shot Lydenberg--but it may be the work of one, two, or three separate persons, acting in collusion.

I believe that Lydenberg was the actual thief of the Princess's jewels from your cousin; that the Frenchwoman actually stole her mistress's jewels.

But as to how it was worked--as to who invented and carried out the whole thing--ah!" "And to that--to the real secret of the whole matter--we haven't the ghost of a clue!" muttered Allerdyke.

"That's about it, eh ?" Chettle laughed--a sly, suggestive laugh.