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 time, letting his eyes rove in every direction, searching every foot of the walls, ceiling, and floor. After each survey he gave a nod to Valeska and passed on. The laundry itself occupied more time. He watched the girls at work and their going and coming attentively. Then he went back to the wood-pile and knelt down on the rough floor, crawling here and there, watching, smelling, fingering everything in the vicinity. The track he pursued led back to the little room where the Italian slept. There he spent more time, searching carefully. When he rose and dusted his clothes, he handed Valeska a bent safety-pin.

"Keep that safe," he said. "I think that little Elsa has been playing under the Italian's cot bed."

Hardly had he spoken the words than the stairway was darkened, and a man bearing a loaded basket came down the steps. He put down his load and, seeing strangers, demanded roughly:

"What you doin' here, what?"

"Oh, looking about," said Astro coolly. "I've lost something, and I came here to find it."

The Italian stared. "What you a-lost, what?"

Astro kept his eyes on him. "I've lost a large opal," he said calmly.

The man began to tremble. "Opal! Wha's that?"

"I'll show you." Astro walked into the man's little room and lifted the mattress. Between it and the canvas cover of the cot appeared a small box. On its cover was printed, "Heintz & Co., El Paso, Texas."

"I no gotta eet, I no gotta eet! Sure! De littla babee she stole eet away." The man watched Astro's face apprehensively.

"Where did you get it, anyway," asked the Seer.