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riddles I’d ever heard of, this took the biscuit—and I was right in the middle of it.
    I came finally upon a note-pad among the books. On it, obviously culled from the reference books, were the full addresses of the four bloodstone jewel owners...but not only their addresses. Also given was the exact latitude and longitude where their homes were placed on the Earth’s surface! That, and a maze of figuring, that made no sense whatever to me.
    For a long time I puzzled over this new enigma, but nothing clicked in my mind. I was beaten—at the moment. I put the books and note-pad back, prepared to retreat, then I caught sight of a massive new safe in a corner near the entrance of the basement. The second key’s use became immediately apparent.
    Once I’d opened the safe door the first thing to hit the beam of my torch was a flood of ruby, bloodlike radiance.
    Carefully I took out the heavy mass, studied its amazing lustrous depths in awe. Beyond doubt, Harkness’ paperweight, sent by mail to Beryl. But why should he send it to her when he didn’t even know her? And why murder afterwards—? But there, I was getting on the deep side again. I needed more obvious things right now.
    The safe contained nothing else, so at last I put the stone back and went back to bed, put the keys safely back round Beryl’s neck. She did not move in the least—and I had a wax lump in my coat pocket....
    I slept badly, brooding— At last dawn crept to the windows.
    * * * * * * *
    If Beryl suspected anything of my nocturnal activities she showed no sign of it. As we breakfasted her manner was still that of cold aloofness. I went out again in the same brusque way, determined to spend my day doing a lot of hard thinking instead of going to my office. I was getting too wound up to think straight much longer....
    I felt it was as inevitable as the sunrise that before long death would overtake the two remaining bloodstone owners—Carson of London and Cardew of Bermuda. But still I didn’t see how I could stop it without getting across the track of the law, and that was the last thing I wanted. Nor could I get any truth out of Beryl: between us loomed that invisible, merciless wall.
    I had driven the car out of the drive and on to the main village road, thinking deeply as I went, when I saw the postman approaching on an ancient bicycle. I hailed him.
    â€œAnything for me?”
    He got off his machine, wheeled it over and stuck a horny finger and thumb through his little bundle.
    â€œNo, I’m afraid not, Mr. Shaw. Not this— But I’m forgetting this parcel!” He dived in his bag and brought a smallish brown paper one to light.
    â€œFor Mrs. Shaw,” he said, then as he studied it, “And air mail too. Foreign air mail. Rare round here. Must be important, Plenty of weight for air mail—”
    â€œBe all right. I’ll take it for her,” I said. “No need to go all the way to the house with it.”
    â€œWell. I— Okay, it’ll be all right,” he nodded, handing it over. “Rare we get two parcels for the same place two days running. Things have livened up a bit in the parcel mail since you and your wife came, Mr. Shaw. That one the day before yesterday and this one to-day—”
    â€œThat what mails are for, isn’t it?” I interrupted him shortly. “Thanks!”
    I drove on again rather hurriedly, but for some reason I felt he was watching me go. He was : my rear mirror showed it. Irritated, I drove on until I was out of his sight, then stopped and examined the parcel hurriedly. Air mail express, stamped ‘Napoli, Italia.’
    I ripped off the cords, tore away the paper, opened a strong cardboard box—
    Within a bed of cotton-wool was a glowing chunk of red glasslike stone....
    Thoughts just wouldn’t come to me. I was stunned. One thousand miles away a total stranger had mailed Beryl a piece of an antique