"Now, about your being in my room, Mr. Camran. Do you wish to say anything in regard to that?"
I took from my pocket the package I had found in his trunk and silently held it up for his inspection.
"You intend to retain those things, I presume," he said, with excessive politeness.
"With your permission," I answered, not to be outdone in courtesy by a thief.
"Certainly," he said. "And the bracelet, will you do me the favor to find some way in which it may be returned to the owner?"
What a cool rascal he was! I could not help admiring his _sang froid_, the like of which I had never seen or heard of.
"The shirt stud, I think is yours," he went on, affably, "and the earrings belong to your cousin? Yes, that was my impression. Let me, if I may be so bold, advise you to keep them under better surveillance in the future. Now, that I may not be blamed by Miss Carney for keeping you too long, let me say that if you have finished we will call this interview at an end, except for one question. Do you intend to do anything disagreeable about the matter?"
Still as cool as an iceberg, as unruffled as a bank of pansies.
"I shall do nothing," I answered. "The service you rendered a few moments ago puts me under a great obligation. Rest assured, sir, you have nothing to fear from me."
He walked hospitably to the door and opened it.
"You had best avoid another rupture with Mr. Edgerly," he said, in a friendly tone. "He is quick tempered and, as you have well observed, you are not strong enough to contend with him. As to pistols, he is a dead shot. He can knock a penny off a wall at two hundred paces."
I thanked him for his advice and went to find Miss May, whom I was not surprised to discover in an excited state, and bathed in tears.
"Oh," she cried, when she saw me, "let us return to New York as soon as we can! You have had nothing but trouble ever since I have been with you. Take me to America and end this unfortunate agreement of ours. I knew you and that man would have trouble again. If the other one had not appeared you would now be dead, and he--"
Her sobbing broke out again, terrifically. All at once it occurred to me that the news of the recovered jewels would partially comfort her.
"Marjorie," I said, "Marjorie, my love! There is a silver lining to the cloud to-day, a golden lining, a diamond lining. Yes," as she looked intently at me through her tears, "I know where my stud is, and your earrings, and Miss Howes'--"