inch of it. Then he transferred his attention to the
chair on which Eve had been sitting and those on
either side of her.
The thoroughness of the search left nothing to
be desired. The other four men joined in and the
women also. Eve Leathern stood by the wall
near the screen and laughed with intense enjoy-ment.
Five minutes later Mr. Pointz rose with a slight
groan from his knees and dusted his trousers
sadly. His pristine freshness was somewhat im-paired.
"Eve," he said. "I take off my hat to you.
You're the finest thing in jewel thieves I've ever
come across. What you've done with that stone
beats me. As far as I can see it must be in the room
as it isn't on you. I give you best."
"Are the stockings mine?" demanded Eve.
"They're yours, young lady."
"Eve, my child, where can you have hidden it?"
demanded Mrs. Rustington curiously.
Eve pranced forward.
"I'll show you. You'll all be just mad with
yourselves."
She went across to the side table where the
things from the dinner table had been roughly
TH
E REGATTA MYSTERY
15
stacked. She picked up her little black evening
bag
''Right