“I don’t know.  It’s a tough proposition.  Somehow or other, I want to be quits with Mason.  I want to wipe out those obligations.  If I could do that, the next time I saw him I’d hand him over.”

“You’re a sentimental duffer, Crawffy,” said the artist, smiling.

“And I shouldn’t love him at all if he wasn’t,” the wife defended.

“But this Webb affair doesn’t add up right,” said Killigrew morosely.

“There’s th’ hull game,” declared Haggerty.  “It’s nothing but adding an’ subtracting, this gum-shoe work.  Y’ve got t’ keep at it till it adds right.  Y’ don’t realize, Mr. Crawford, how many times I almost put my hand on your shoulder; but y’ didn’t add up right.  I shan’t go at Webb like a load o’ bricks.  I’ll nose around first.  Take a peek int’ his belongings while you folks keep him busy downstairs.  No sapphires, no Thomas; I’ll let it go at that.  But how was this man Jameson t’ know anything about sapphires if they wasn’t any?”

“I’ve known Kitty Killigrew ever since she was born,” said Killigrew dryly.  “I’ve yet to see her make a mistake in sizing up a man.  She picks ’em out the way I do, right off the bat.  The minute you dodder about a man or a woman, there’s sure to be something’ to dodder about.  Good lord! you don’t suppose he had a hand in these other burglaries?”

“Can’t say ’s I do,” answered Haggerty, reaching for his lemonade.  “You wait.  I’ll have it all cleared up by midnight, ’r they’ll be a shake-up at Central t’-morrow.  Something’s going t’ happen; feel it like a sailor feels a storm when they ain’t a cloud anywheres.  Now, let’s see what y’ know about auction pinochle, Mr. Killigrew.  No use moping.”

The yacht dropped anchor off shore at five.  The beach was deserted.  Doubtless the guests were catnapping or reading.  At the Killigrew villa one did as one pleased.  Mr. and Mrs. Crawford were shown to their rooms at once, and Haggerty prowled about the stables and garage.  Kitty knocked at Mrs. Crawford’s door half an hour later.

Introductions were made at dinner.  The Crawfords knew most of Kitty’s guests and so did Forbes, who was very much interested in Lord Monckton.  Here was a romance, if there was any truth at all in the newspapers.  What adventures here and there across the world before the title fell to him!  He looked like one of R. Caton Woodville’s drawings of Indian mutiny officers, with that flowing black beard; very conspicuous among all these smooth chins.  Forbes determined to sketch him.

He was rather sorry not to see Thomas at the table.  Was Haggerty after him with the third degree?  Poor devil!  It did not seem possible; yet all the evidence pointed to Thomas.  Why should Jameson say that he had seen sapphires if he had not?  Still, the thing that did not add up was the position with which Thomas had allied himself to the Killigrews.  Hang it, there was a figure missing.  Haggerty was right.  A man with any sympathy had no business man-hunting.