Page:Burton Stevenson--The marathon mystery.djvu/106

84 piece of jewelry; perhaps was only one of many such stones forming a cluster, or a border to a larger jewel. If one could only discover the piece from which it had fallen, there would be a clew…

“Well, have y’ got it all fixed, sir?” asked a voice from the door, and I turned with a start to see Higgins standing there.

“Yes,” I answered, rousing myself with an effort; and I gave him such directions as occurred to me. “Has anyone else been in the rooms?” I asked.

“Not since yesterday morning sir, when th’ coroner brought his jury t’ look ‘em over. They’ve been locked since then.”

“I thought perhaps somebody might have wanted to rent them,” I explained.

“Say, that’s funny!” he cried. “I’d purty nigh fergot it. Early this mornin’ they was somebody-a woman.” He came close to me and dropped his voice to a hoarse whisper. “D’ y’ know who I think it was? That Croydon woman!”

I stared at him in amazement.

“Weren’t you sure?”

“No; she had a veil wrapped around her head an’ she was dressed different. But it was her—I know it.”

“And what did she want?” I asked, more and more astonished.

“She wanted t’ see th’ rooms; but I told her they was closed. I tell you, I was dead afeard t’ come up here with her. How’d I know but she’d take a shot at me? Then she wanted t’ rent ’em sight unseen, an’ offered a month’s rent in advance—but I told her