That sad business broke up a happy home and has made five
people miserable for many years. And whichever way you turn, whichever
way you look, you find the cloven foot of Henson everywhere. Now, what
you have told me just now gives me a new idea. The secret that Henson was
going to sell to Lord Littimer for a large sum was the story of the
missing ring and the restitution of the same."
"Kind of brazening it out, you mean?"
"Yes. Lord Littimer would give three times ten thousand pounds to have
that ring again. But at this point Henson has met with a serious check in
his plans. Driven into a corner, he has resolved to make a clean breast
of it to Lord Littimer. He procures the ring from his strong box, and
then he makes a discovery."
"Which is more than I have. Pray proceed."
"He discovers that he has not got the real Prince Rupert's ring."
Rawlins looked up with a slightly puzzled air.
"Will you kindly tell me what you mean?" he said.
"It was a forgery. Van Sneck made a copy from a mere description. That
copy served its purpose with a vengeance, and is now at the bottom of the
North Sea.
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