From her position near one of the lower wings, Sanetta Cervera was gazing steadfastly across the stage at something which Chick could not see.

The dark eyes of the Spanish dancer had taken on a threatening glare.  Her curved brows had drooped and knit, until they formed a straight line below her forehead, and her red lips were drawn and firmly compressed.

Before Chick could discover any occasion for this mute display of feeling, the performance in front of the set scene concluded, and the act of the snake charmer was due to begin.

Then came a rapid change of scenery, during which Chick was again obliged to change his position, and for a time he lost sight of Cervera in the stir and confusion of the busy stage.

He did not succeed in locating her again until she began her performance, when a full stage was given her for the marvelously graceful and impassioned dances of which her act consisted, and which had fairly turned half the heads in the city.

In the white glare of the limelight, she certainly presented a wild and dazzling picture.  Her beauty was indescribably accentuated.  She appeared like a being ablaze with diamonds.  Her every attitude was one of seductive grace, her every movement as swift and light as those of a startled leopard.

At its conclusion her act evoked thunders of applause, and then Chick saw her hastening toward her dressing room, flushed with excitement and panting for breath.

Suddenly she halted and her smile vanished.

Then Chick saw her turn abruptly toward one of the wing scenes, where she met Venner face to face.

The wealthy Fifth Avenue jeweler laughed and extended his hand to greet her, but she frowned and hesitated before accepting it; and Chick made a quick move and stole back of the scenery, near which the two briefly remained standing.

He arrived in time to overhear only a few words, however, of which he could make nothing bearing upon the diamond robbery, or relating to the Kilgore gang.

“Pshaw!  You are entirely wrong, Sanetta,” Venner was expostulating, with voice lowered.  “Your eyes have deceived you.”

The woman replied through her teeth, with a hiss like that of a snake.

“My eyes deceived me?  Never!  You lie!  I know what I see!” she fiercely answered, with but a slight foreign accent.

“You are wrong, Cervera,” protested Venner.  “I—­”

“I am not!  I see—­and I know!”

“But—­”

“Caramba! I say you shall go with me!”

“Why, certainly, if you wish it.  Am I not here for that?”

“You know that I wish it—­and you shall go.”

“Whenever you are ready, Sanetta,” replied Venner.  “Yet your infernal—­”

“Silence!  You shall wait here till I have changed my suit.  Then we will go—­we will go together.  You shall wait here.”

“Go and make the change, then,” said Venner, bluntly.  “I will be here when you return.”