The Rayner-Slade Amalgamation

d hastily assumed on discovering her loss had slipped away from her graceful figure to fall in folds about her feet, interrupted the torrent of her eloquence

at once-go and play on the French horn; go and do anything you like to satisfy your audience! Not one note do I sing until somebody fin

t of Fullaway, who at once moved towards he

o's that with you-surely the gentleman of whom I as

now, that you complete your toilet, tell us what it is you have lost; leave us-your devoted servants-to begin the task of finding it, and whi

retty talk, Fullaway-very, and all intended to benefit Weiss there. Lost, indeed!-I've lost all my jewels, and up to now nobody"-her

the other men. Once more he as

s they're to find," he suggested. "What is it now,

he bedroom on whose threshold she had been standing, flashed a sc

she exclaimed. "Everythi

t so much as a

dyke, following the pointing finger, noted that the box was a very ordinary-looking affair-a tiny square chest of polished wood, fitted with a brass swing handle. It might have held a small ty

I opened it here to-night, wanting the things, it was as empty as it is now. And if I behave handsomely, and go with Weiss there, to fulfil this engagement, it'll only be on condition that you stop here, Full

and the six men, left in a bunch, looked at each other. Then on

, all the lady's done is to storm at us and at everybody-she seems to think all Edinburgh's in a consp

er engagement. Then we can talk. I suppose," he continued, t

e world, in a way of speaking," ans

learn she's scarcely been out of these rooms since she came into them yesterday afternoon. The grand piano had been put in for her before she arrived, and she's spent all her time singing and pla

ance in the second half of your program, so that she can return here as soon as possible-she'll only be in irrepressible fidgets until she knows what's been done. And-you know what she is!-you ought to be very thankful that she's allowed herself to be persuaded to go with you. Mademoiselle," he went on, as the prima donna, fully attired, but innocent of jewelled ornament, swept into the room, "you ar

imed the prima donna. "Come along, now, Weiss-you've got a c

led his bundle of silks and laces safely out

imself into a seat and nodded at the hotel-manager. "Just tell us exactly what's happened since Ma

be put in for her. She wrote for the suite over a fortnight ago from Russia, and, of course, we had everything in readiness for her. She turned up, as I say, yesterday, alone-she explained something about her maid having been obliged to leave her on arrival in England, and since she came she's had the services of one of our smartest chambermaids, whom she herself picked out after carefully

ite agree with you. Now, at what time did M

e let out an awful scream, and, just as she was, rushed to the head of the main stairs-these rooms, as you see, are on our first floor-and began to shout for me, for anybody, for everybody. The hall below was just th

mented Fullaway, "but it is foreign to young lad

y. She swore that it ought to have been full of her jewels-in cases. When she had opened it-just before this-it was empty. Of course, she demanded the instant presence of the police. Also, she

ess said," rem

manager, with a sympathetic glance at the detectives, "since they came Mademoiselle has done nothing but insi

ly what she would think-under the circum

iselle ever since her election to the post of temporary maid-had never left her save at meal-times. The little chest had stood at Mademoiselle's bed-head always-she had never seen it moved, or opened. There was a door leading into the bedroom from the corridor. Mademoiselle had never left the suite of rooms since her arrival. She ha

ng property was believed to have been abstracted. He examined it with seeming indiffer

corners, you see, are clamped with brass. It has a swing handle, fitted into this brass plate which is sunk into the lid. It has also three brass letters sunk into that lid-Z. D. L. Its lock does not appear

quite understand the American's light and easy m

d with a list of the mis

the firs

ime, there's no need to detain you. Now," he continued, turning to the manager, when the detectives, somewhat puzzled and bewildered, had left the room, "will you see that your nicest supper is served-for three-in this room at eleven o'clock, against Mademoiselle's return? Send up your best champagne. And do not allow yourself to dwell on Mad