"Do you care to explain where you got it?" I asked.
"Not to you," he said proudly. "Go on with your story."
"My first clue was in the cryptic letter found on the stage."
"I remember. You couldn't translate it."
"But I did."
"What's it got to do with me?"
"Nothing. But I found a second letter written in the same cryptogram
and about the same matters in your pocket."
"That's a lie!" he said.
"If you want to see it it's at my office."
"If you did find such a paper in my pocket it was planted there."
"I should be glad to believe you were not the man," I said mildly.
"Spare me your assurances," he said scornfully.
He was silent for a while, thinking over what I had told him. Slowly
horror grew in his face. "But--but this is only a devilish combination
of circumstances," he stammered. "You haven't proved anything."
"The pearls have been recovered," I said.
"Where?" he shot at me.
"In your safe."
His legs failed him suddenly. He half fell in a chair, staring at me
witlessly. "Oh, my God!" he muttered huskily. "Those, _hers_!"