At ordinary times I should most likely not have given it a second thought; but to-night nothing unexpected could be dismissed as insignificant until it had been thoroughly examined.  I put the paper back, and as I did so I heard Maxine give an exclamation, apparently of distress.  I could not distinguish all she said, but I thought that I caught the word “diamonds.”  For a moment or two she and du Laurier talked together so excitedly that I might have made another attack on the window without great risk; and I was meditating the attempt when suddenly the voices ceased.  A door opened and shut.  There was dead silence, except for a footfall overhead, which sounded heavier than Maxine’s.  Perhaps it was her maid’s.

For a few seconds more I stood still, awaiting developments, but there was no sound in the next room, and I decided to take my chance before it should be too late.

I jerked at the window, which yielded with a loud squeak that would certainly have given away the secret of my presence if there had been ears to hear.  But all was still in the drawing-room adjoining, and I dropped down on to a flower bed some few feet below.  Then I skirted round to the front of the house, walking stealthily on the soft grass, and would have made a noiseless dash for the gate had I not seen a stream of light flowing out through the open front door across the lawn.  I checked myself just in time to draw back without being seen by a woman and a tall man moving slowly down the path.  They were Maxine and, no doubt, du Laurier.  They spoke not a word, but walked with their heads bent, as if deeply absorbed in searching for something on the ground.  Down to the gate they went, opened it and passed out, only half closing it behind them, so that I knew they meant presently to come back again.

I should have been thankful to escape, but the chance of meeting them was too imminent.  Accordingly I waited, and it was well I did, for as they reappeared in three or four minutes they could not have gone far enough to be out of sight from the gate.

“There’s witchcraft in it,” Maxine said, as she and her lover passed within a few yards of me, where I hid behind a little arbour.

Du Laurier’s answer was lost to me, but his voice sounded despondent.  Evidently they had mislaid something of importance and had small hope of finding it again.  I could not help being curious, as well as sorry for Maxine that a further misfortune should have befallen her at such a time.  But the one and only way in which I could help her at the moment was to get away as soon as possible.

They had left the gate unlocked, and I drew in a long breath of relief when I was on the other side.  I hurried out of the street, lest du Laurier should, by any chance, follow on quickly:  and my first thought was to go immediately back to my hotel, where Girard might by now have arrived with news.  I was just ready to hail a cab crawling by at a distance, when I remembered the bit of paper I’d found and put back into my pocket.  It occurred to me to have a look at it, by the light of a street lamp near by; and the instant I had straightened out the small, crumpled wad I guessed that here was a link in the mystery.