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when she had possession of the key.
    “Which leaves the second occasion. The study’s the most comfortable room in the house to lounge in, so after dinner I had our coffee and our drinks taken there. And that’s how it happened that for a minute or so young Ainsworth was left alone with the portfolio: you see, Jane, who was telephoning somebody from the hall, called me out to ask me some question about our plans for the next few days; and of course I never dreamed…
    ‘Well, damn it!’ said Sir Gerald unhappily. “I mean, partiality aside, it really is quite inconceivable to me that Jane can be the thief: the girl knows perfectly well that I’d gladly give her any amount of money if she wanted it, and no questions asked: for that matter, I’d willingly give her the drawing itself.
    “And I dare say you see what I’ve been driving at: unless Ainsworth’s managed to jettison the drawing—which with police all round him would be a madly risky thing to attempt—he’s bound to have it still on him this morning when they let him go free… Yes, yes, I know they make people turn out their pockets before they’re shoved into the cells. But they don’t bother to do more than that—not with a man of Ainsworth’s class, on a drunk charge. Therefore, what I’m aiming at is to catch Ainsworth as soon as he comes out, take him to one of my offices near by, and—well, and ask him to agree to being searched.”
    Fen stared. “I should hardly imagine,” he said presently, “that Ainsworth is going to like that suggestion very much.’
    “No, of course he’s not.” Sir Gerald’s embarrassment was causing him to positively wriggle in his chair. “But you see the position I’m in. i don’t care tuppence about the wretched drawing; to save a scandal he can have that, and welcome. But if he really is a thief, then it’s essential I prove it to Jane before she goes off and elopes with him, or some other damn silly thing.
    “What I shall actually say to him is that if he doesn’t agree to this… this admittedly very distasteful expedient, I shall simply hand him over straightaway to the police and leave them to deal with the affair.”
    “H’m,” said Fen. “I should have thought, you know, that you had pretty conclusive evidence against him already.”
    Jane insists that I must be mistaken,” said Sir Gerald. “About not having left the study unlocked, I mean. also I think that perhaps she suspects… no, never mind that. The important thing is that although she’s terribly angry about this scheme of mine, she has in fact agreed to come along. And the question now is, would you be prepared to come along, too, and see fair play?”
    Fen considered the prospect and found it not much to his liking. At the same time, the situation had possibilities which Sir Gerald either had not realized or else had not thought fit to specify; and in the latter event it was Fen’s positive duty to go…
     
    The court proceedings—the charge, the evidence, the expected fine—passed without incident. Emerging from the courtroom, Ainsworth found the little group of three awaiting him in the corridor outside; and, incongruous in his dinner jacket, listened in silence while Sir Gerald brusquely outlined the situation and made his proposal. Then he turned to Jane.
    “Do you want me to submit to this?” he asked.
    Jane McComas’s auburn hair gleamed in the weak sunlight as she raised her head to look steadily at him. “No,” she breathed. “No darling, no . Call his bluff. Let him tell the police. You haven’t got anything to be afraid of.”
    “No?” Ainsworth raised his eyebrows. “Not even the scandal? I’m sorry, my dear, but I’m afraid that if I’m going to go on being a barrister, I simply must choose the discreeter alternative of the two…”
    And with that he moved off abruptly. “Let’s get it over with,” he said, “shall we?”
    As things turned out, it was Fen who actually found the drawing. The