“I never did.”

“I’d advise you to.  Also Walton.”

“Is he a jeweler?”

“Lord, no!  But I beg your pardon.  Let us keep to the subject.  So you don’t dare tell your friend the diamond cross is gone?”

“Oh, yes, she knows it.”

“Then why the worry, except about getting it back?”

“Well, there are complications.  You see her husband—­”

“Oh, ho!”

There was a world of meaning in that exclamation.  Aaron Grafton turned a deep red and bit his lips.  Colonel Ashley saw his annoyance.

“Look here!” exclaimed the old detective.  “I really shouldn’t have said that.  But we detectives are used to all sorts of complications, and, more than once, they have to do with women.  Often enough there is nothing more serious than a little indiscretion, but I can see where outsiders might make trouble—­particularly husbands.  I take it then that you and the lady were out together without her husband knowing it.”

“I hope he doesn’t know of it, for though, on my honor, there was nothing wrong in our being together, it might be hard to make him believe that.”

“I quite agree with you—­particularly if he were jealous, as many husbands are.  So you want me to try to get this diamond cross, belonging to the married lady, back for you without her husband knowing anything about it?”

“That’s it!”

“Where were you when you were robbed of it?”

“I wasn’t robbed of it.  I never said I was.”

“Oh, I beg your pardon, I must have inferred that.  Please go on, and, if you don’t mind my asking you, kindly get to the point.”

“I beg your pardon.  Perhaps I am beating about the bush.  Well, I’ll be as frank as I can.  Do you want me to give names?”

“It would be better, since I already know yours.  I shall keep them in strict confidence, however, now that I am fairly well assured there is no ulterior motive in your visit to me.  Proceed.”

“Well, then, the diamond cross, which is worth I don’t know how many thousand dollars, belongs to Mrs. Cynthia Larch, the wife of Langford Larch, who keeps a large hotel in—­”

“Colchester!  I know the place.  Go on!” interrupted Colonel Ashley.  “I have stopped there on fishing trips,” he added, as his caller looked a bit surprised.

“Oh, I didn’t know that.  Well, this was Mrs. Larch’s cross.  It is a family heirloom I believe, though many suppose her husband gave it to her for a wedding present.  That is not so, however.  I know Cynthia had the cross before she was married.”

“You call her Cynthia?”

“I have known her since we were both children.”

“I see.  Pray go on.”

“In fact we were sweethearts,” continued Grafton, “and were engaged.  But the match was broken off by her father.  I was only a struggling clerk then, and never dreamed I would get on as I have.  Nor did she, I fancy, though she was willing to take me as I was.  But her folks made trouble.  They brought such pressure to bear on her that she gave in and married Larch, who was and is wealthy, but whose social position was beneath hers.