"Well, I need a new tobacco pouch."
"Right. That's a deal. Not that you'll get your
tobacco pouch. Now I'll tell you what you've got
to do. You must hand it round like you did last
night--"
She broke off as two waiters entered to remove
the plates. When they were starting on the next
course of chicken, Mr. Pointz said:
"Remember this, young woman, if this is to
represent a real theft, I should send for the police
and you'd be searched."
"That's quite O.K. by me. You needn't be quite
so lifelike as to bring the police into it. But Lady
Marroway or Mrs. Rustington can do all the
searching you like."
"Well, that's that then," said Mr. Pointz.
"What are you setting up to be? A first class jewel
thief?"
"I might take to it as a career--if it really
paid."
"If you got away with the Morning Star it
would pay you. Even after recutting that stone
would be worth over thirty thousand pounds."
"My!" said Eve, impressed. "What's that in
dollars?"
Lady Marroway uttered an exclamation.
"And you carry such a stone about with
you?" she said reproachfully. "Thirty thousand
pounds." Her darkened eyelashes quivered.
Mrs. Rustington said softly: "It's a lot of