"Quite lately, your lordship. I went down to Brighton. I was told as Bell
had got hold of the second Rembrandt owing to Henson's carelessness, and
that he was pretty certain to bring it here. He did bring it here, and I
tried to stop him on the way, and he half killed me."
"Those half measures are so unsatisfactory," Littimer smiled.
Merritt grinned. He fully appreciated the humour of the remark.
"That attack and the way it was brought about were suggested by Henson,"
he went on. "If it failed, I was to come up to the Castle here without
delay and tell Henson so. I came, and he covered my movements whilst I
pinched the picture. I had been told that the thing was fastened to the
wall, but a pair of steel pliers made no odds to that. I took the picture
home, and two days later it vanished. And that's all I know about it."
"Lame and impotent conclusion!" said Littimer.
"Wait a moment," Chris cried. "You found the diamond star which
you pawned--"
"At your request, miss. Don't go for to say as you've forgotten that."
"I have forgotten nothing," Chris said, with a smile. "I want to know
about the cigar-case.
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