never mind me," came clearly and coldly from his lips. "it is of yourself you must think. here, officer!" he cried, opening the door again and ushering in a man in plain clothes, but evidently one of the force. "this is the young lady. i accuse her of taking advantage of her power to open mr. stoughton's private safe to steal his jewels. her confederate has escaped. he had a pistol and i had no means of stopping him. but she is right here and you will make no mistake in arresting her. the booty is on her, and smart as she is, she cannot deny that proof."

with a cry, grace's hand went up to her throat.

then she settled into her usual self once more.

the officer, eyeing her, asked what she had to say for herself.

"a great deal," was her low answer. "but i shall not say it here. if mr. fellows will go with me to wherever you take people suspected of what you suspect me, i can soon make plain my position. but first i should like to send for my friend, mr. philip andrews. he is with the stickney company, and he is acquainted with my affairs and the understanding between mr. stoughton and myself by which i have access to that gentleman's safe and do much of his private business for him."

"that's all right. send for mr. andrews if you wish, but you mustn't expect to talk to him without witnesses. is that your coat and hat?"[143]

"yes."

"well, put them on."

mr. fellows advanced and whispered something in the officer's ear. immediately the suspicious look grew in his eyes, and he watched her every movement with increased care. she saw this and stepped up to him.

"i shall not deny having this piece of jewelry about my person," she said, drawing the bracelet from its hiding place. "the man whom mr. fellows calls my confederate gave it to me and i took it; but it will be hard for him or any one else to prove that it is a theft, harder than it will be for me to prove who is the real culprit here and the man whom you ought to arrest. watch me, but watch him also; he is more deserving of your close attention than i am."

her disdain, her poise, the beauty which came out on her face when she was greatly stirred, gave her a striking appearance at that moment. the officer stared, then followed her glance toward mr. fellows. what he saw in him made him thoughtful. turning back to miss lee, he said kindly enough, "will you let me have that bracelet?"

she passed it over and he thrust it in his pocket.

"now," said he, "i will go first. in a few minutes follow me and go down nassau street. a carriage will be at the curb. take it. as for mr. fellows——"

"i cannot leave till some of the clerks come in."

"we will all wait till a clerk comes."

mr. fellows paled.

"here is one now."

the door opened and philip andrews came in.

"oh, philip!"

"what is this? what have you done among you?"

it was no wonder he asked. at sight of him grace lee had fainted.