"  The  first  time  that  you  were  lacking  in  discretion
was  when  you  were  trying  to  discover  the  owner  of  the
diamond  ear-ring  found  in  the  Poivriere."

"  I  made  every  effort  to  discover  the  last  owner."

"  You  tried  very  hard,  I  do  not  deny  that ;  but  as  for


356  MONSIEUR    LECOQ

making  every  effort — that  is  saying  too  much.  For
example,  when  you  heard  that  the  Baroness  de
Watchau  was  dead,  and  that  all  her  property  had  been
sold,  what  did  you  do  ?  "

"  You  know  ;  I  went  immediately  to  the  person  who
had  charge  of  the  sale."

"  Very  well !   and  afterward  ?  "

"  I  examined  the  catalogue ;  and  as,  among  the
jewels  mentioned  there,  I  could  find  none  that  an-
swered the  description  of  these  magnificent  diamonds,
I  knew  that  the  clew  was  lost  entirely."

"  There  is  precisely  where  you  are  mistaken !  "  ex-
claimed Papa  Tirauclair,  exultantly.  ''  If  a  jewel  of
such  great  value  is  not  mentioned  in  the  catalogue  of
the  sale  the  Baroness  de  Watchau  could  not  have  pos-
sessed it  at  the  time  of  her  death.  And  if  she  no  longer
possessed  it  she  must  have  given  it  away,  or  sold  it.
And  to  whom  ?     To  one  of  her  friends,  very  probably.
"  For  this  reason,  had  I  been  in  your  place,  I  should
have  inquired  the  names  of  her  intimate  friends,  which
would  have  been  a  very  easy  task ;  and  then,  I  should
have  tried  to  win  the  favor  of  all  the  femmes  de  chambre
of  these  lady  friends.  This  would  have  been  only  a
pastime  for  a  good-looking  young  fellow  like  you.
