"Won't you take off your coat and be seated, Mr. Pape? This is in some respects an unusual robbery, and your investigation probably will take some time."

He followed her suggestion with alacrity, using a nearby Davenport to rack his hat and overcoat. It would be an advantage, he considered, to be in possession of as many facts as possible, before Jane appeared to expose him. Facts might help him in some way to induce her to go on playing the game as she had in the Metropolitan box.

"Best begin at the very beginning, Mrs. Sturgis."

He seated himself in a chair opposite that into which the matron had sunk, and leaned toward her with frowning concentration. Too late he remembered that the a.r.s.enal detectives, if any were there a.s.signed, did not sit around at all hours in evening clothes. But if she noticed at all his attire, it was with approval, judging by the confidential smile she bent upon him.

"This is a manless house, except for the servants," she began in the modulated voice of those "to the manner" born. "I have the misfortune to be a widow. This evening my daughter and my niece went to the opera with old friends of the family. I have no liking for operas of the 'Zaza'

type so remained at home. But I promised the young ladies to stay up, as they wished to bring their friends back with them to supper."

Stopped by a thought, she indicated an ebony cigarette outfit that topped a tabaret near his chair. "Men think so much better when they smoke," she suggested. "If you prefer cigars, Mr. Pape, I'll have some brought in."

"Please don't trouble. My chest's full of 'em."

With a forced smile, she watched the "detective" produce one of his own regardlessly purchased cigars, light it and puff with manifest pleasure from its fragrance.

"This afternoon," she proceeded, "Miss Lauderdale, my niece, returned from a visit to an old woman who had been her governess years ago when her father was-well, before he lost his money. She brought back a jeweled snuffbox of antique design which had belonged to her great-grandfather. In some way not yet explained to me it had came into possession of this upper servant. Although its intrinsic value is not great-the rubies set in its cover are small, not worth more than a thousand dollars, I should say-Miss Lauderdale seems to set great store by it. She asked me to lock it up in a secret safe built in my library wall until she should want it again."

From his very light experience with operatives of the force-really none at all except with those of the printed page-Pape considered that he should begin asking questions if he was to sustain the part. He matched his finger-tips in pairs-in most "sleuth" stories they did that; cleared his throat-also inevitable; observed somewhat stupendously:

"I see. You opened the secret wall safe and within it installed the heirloom snuffbox. At what hour, Mrs. Sturgis, was this?"

"About five o'clock."

"And you found the safe cracked, might I ask-its contents gone?"

"Not at all. You antic.i.p.ate me. What jewelry I keep in the safe was all there. Some of it, at my daughter's coaxing, I had withdrawn for her to wear to the opera. She is entirely too much of a child to be allowed such adornment, but you know our young ladies these days, Mr. Pape."

He nodded, but none too a.s.suredly in view of his fathomless ignorance of "our young ladies these days."

"And after taking out this jewelry for Miss Sturgis, you are sure that you locked the safe-shut it securely and turned the dial?" he asked, quite as the professional he was trying to emulate would have pursued the case. "Sometimes you women folks--"

"I am not the careless sort. I locked the safe."

From the matron's composed manner, he well could believe her.

"It was about nine o'clock," she continued, "when, having changed to the gown I meant to wear to supper, I wanted these black pearls." She indicated the two pendants in her ears, a ring and the vari-sized strand about her neck. "With purple or lavender, you see, they make the second mourning effect which I shall always wear for my dear husband. Again I came downstairs to the safe. Imagine my astonishment and fright when I found it open-the door full an inch ajar."

"But you're wearing the pearls, madam?"

"That is the strangest part of it!" Moved at last by her nervousness, Mrs. Sturgis arose, crossed to a window that overlooked Central Park, clutched the curtains and drew them apart. For a second or two she stood looking out, then returned to her chair. "Mr. Pope, not a single piece of my jewelry was missing. The cash drawer had not been disturbed, though it happened to contain a considerable sum of money. A sheaf of Liberty Bonds in plain sight lay untouched. Absolutely nothing was gone except Miss Lauderdale's heirloom snuffbox. Of course that's no great financial loss, but she is much upset by the loss and I can't help feeling my responsibility. Tell me, what do you make of it?"

His chin cupped in one hand, Pape tried to look that shade of study denominated as "brown." Next he puffed viciously at the plump middle section that was left of his cigar-women, he had noticed, always harkened with more respect to a man who puffed viciously at a cigar.

"Strange-pa.s.sing strange," he muttered. From a pocket of his figured white waistcoat he drew his watch and looked enquiringly into its face.

"You say it was about nine o'clock when you discovered this theft? It was after ten when you sent the butler after-after me. Just to keep the tally straight, madam, may I ask what you were doing in the interim?"

Mrs. Sturgis' brows-black as her daughter's, but unplucked-lifted slightly, as if she were surprised by the question. However, after a momentary pause she answered, "At first I was uncertain just what to do.

Finally I decided to summon Miss Lauderdale from the opera house. She, as the only loser, was the person most concerned. She returned just now and insisted that the police be called in. She was even more upset than I when we discovered that our telephone was out of commission. She sent Jasper at once to--"

Pape managed an interruptive glower of disapproval that would have done credit to the most efficient "bull" of the Central Office.

"You've wasted valuable time," he declared. "In robberies, it is advisable to get the authorities on the scene of the crime at the earliest possible moment."

"But in this instance the circ.u.mstances were so peculiar and I--"

"I know. I know, madam. Circ.u.mstances always are more or less peculiar."

Pape had deemed a touch of official discourtesy not out of place. "What I want to know next is-that is to say, the person I'd like next to interview is this niece of yours who has been deprived of her snuffbox."

CHAPTER VIII-EMPTY

Pape, the while, had grown most anxious to know the exact whereabouts of the young woman in the case. He found it nervous work, this expecting her appearance every minute-this playing the detective when she, with one glance, could detect him. Would she or would she not expose him? The full imperativeness of the question was in the gaze he bent upon the matron.

"Miss Lauderdale will soon be down, I am sure. She went to her room to change her gown."

"And why, pray, should she bother changing her gown at a time like this?

The one she had on was very-I mean to say, wasn't the one she had on becoming?"

This demand Mrs. Sturgis met with an increase of dignity. "We thought it might be necessary for her to go to Police Headquarters or whatever it is you call the place where one swears to complaints. I'll send her word to hurry if you wish."

Pape did wish. However, the sending of word to that effect proved unnecessary. Even as Mrs. Sturgis was crossing the room to ring for Jasper, Jane entered, dressed in a black and white checked skirt and loose white silk blouse. At sight of the caller she stopped short.

"Well, I'll be --"

"Oh no, you won't, Miss Lauderdale-I believe?" Pape's advance had interrupted her e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n. "You're too much of a lady for that and far too good a sport to-to be in despair over your loss. The game is young yet and I am here to win it."

Although his tone was pompous, the eyes he fixed on her outraged expression were urgent, imploring.

Yet at the moment she did not look much as though she had dropped the note as summons No. 2. Twice her lips opened in angry hesitation. But her aunt interrupted before she actually spoke.

"I was just about to send Jasper up for you, my dear," she said. "Mind your nerves, now. This is an operative who has come over from The a.r.s.enal to solve our mystery. Mr. Pope, Miss Lauderdale."

"Pape, you mean," Jane corrected, then bit her lip.

"Of course, I mean Pape. I am _so_ bad at names, Mr. Pape. Here I've been calling you Pope. But, Jane dear, how could you know?"

The ensuing slight pause was shattered by the soundless insistence of a pair of gray eyes addressing a pair of tropic blue: "Play my game. It's a good game. Why not-_why not_ play my game?"

"Jasper told me."

Her compliance was brief and cold-but still compliance. With his wide smile Pape thanked and thanked her, triumphed over her, caressed her.

Jane refused to smile back. But she did blush-slowly, deliciously, revealingly blushed. At that moment she looked, after all, as though she _had_ meant to drop the note. He wanted to accuse her of it and be sure.

But there was Mrs. Sturgis to be considered. Readjusting his expression into lines professional, he returned to the case.