And he laid the big diamond on the table.

It was as big as a walnut, and of the purest water.

Dick Dale glanced at it stupidly.  Phoebe turned her back on it, with a cry of horror, and then came slowly round by degrees; and her eyes were fascinated by the royal gem.

“Yes,” said Staines sadly, “I had to strip myself of all to buy it, and, when I had got it, how proud I was, and how happy I thought we should all be over it, for it is half yours, half mine.  Yes, Mr. Dale, there lies six thousand pounds that belong to Mrs. Falcon.”

“Six thousand pounds!” cried Dick.

“I’m sure of it.  And so, if your suspicions are correct, and poor Falcon should yield to a sudden temptation, and spend all that money, I shall just coolly deduct it from your share of this wonderful stone:  so make your mind easy.  But no; if Falcon is really so wicked as to desert his happy home, and so mad as to spend thousands in a month or two, let us go and save him.”

“That is my business,” said Phoebe.  “I am going in the mail-cart to-morrow.”

“Well, you won’t go alone,” said Dick.

“Mrs. Falcon,” said Staines imploringly, “let me go with you.”

“Thank you, sir.  My brother can take care of me.”

“Me!  You had better not take me.  If I catch hold of him, by —–­ I’ll break his neck, or his back, or his leg, or something; he’ll never run away from you again, if I lay hands on him,” replied Dick.

“I’ll go alone.  You are both against me.”

“No, Mrs. Falcon; I am not,” said Staines.  “My heart bleeds for you.”

“Don’t you demean yourself, praying her,” said Dick.  “It’s a public conveyance:  you have no need to ask her leave.”

“That is true:  I can’t hinder folk from going to Cape Town the same day,” said Phoebe sullenly.

“If I might presume to advise, I would take little Tommy.”

“What! all that road?  Do you want me to lose my child, as well as my man?”

“O Mrs. Falcon!”

“Don’t speak to her, doctor, to get your nose snapped off.  Give her time.  She’ll come to her senses before she dies.”

Next day Mrs. Falcon and Staines started for Cape Town.  Staines paid her every attention, when opportunity offered.  But she was sullen and gloomy, and held no converse with him.

He landed her at an inn, and then told her he would go at once to the jeweller’s.  He asked her piteously would she lend him a pound or two to prosecute his researches.  She took out her purse, without a word, and lent him two pounds.

He began to scour the town:  the jewellers he visited could tell him nothing.  At last he came to a shop, and there he found Mrs. Falcon making her inquiries independently.  She said coldly, “You had better come with me, and get your money and things.”

She took him to the bank—­it happened to be the one she did business with—­and said, “This is Dr. Christie, come for his money and jewels.”