"They are keeping her, no doubt, on some new work.

She hasn't had any breakfast, and now it's long past lunch-time.
And they didn't find the piece of lace?
That's bad! Poor dear, she was near crazy when she found it was gone!" Pickert had missed no one of the different expressions of anxiety and tenderness that had crossed her placid face.

"No--it hadn't turned up when I left," he replied; adding, with another stretch, quite as a matter of course, "she had it all right, didn't she ?" "Had it! Why, she's been nearly a week on it.

I helped her all I could, but her eyes gave out." "Then you would know it again if you saw it ?" The stretch was cut short this time.
"Of course I'd know it--don't I tell you I helped her fix it ?" The detective turned suddenly and, with a thrust of his chin, rasped out: "And if one, or both of you, pawned it somewhere round here, you could remember that, too, couldn't you ?" Martha drew back, her gentle eyes flashing: "Pawned it! What do you mean ?" The detective lunged toward her.

"Just what I say.