Part 40 (1/2)
Rhoda's tense face relaxed into a little smile. ”Has that been worrying you?” she asked.
”Naturally.”
”But I tried to tell you--you were in such a hurry you wouldn't listen!”
”You tried to tell me what?”
”Why, the sapphire wasn't in the suitcase. It's here in the house.”
”But I thought you said you took it with you when you ran away!”
”I did. Then when I decided to leave my suitcase under the dock for a quick getaway should I try to escape from this place later on, I brought the sapphire back with me. I was afraid to leave it, even sewed up in a dress hem, for fear someone would find the suitcase.”
”Yet you subst.i.tuted a fake gem for the real one.”
”I did,” Rhoda agreed, ”because I was certain Highland sooner or later would attempt to steal the gem.”
”Then what became of the real sapphire? Is it safe?”
”I hope so,” Rhoda said earnestly. ”Let's see if we can find it.”
Taking Penny by the hand, she led her down the hall to the cloister. At a niche in the wall, she abruptly paused.
”It should be here, beneath this broken statuette,” she declared. ”I found a tiny crack in the stone, just large enough to insert the gem.
Lend me a hairpin, please.”
Penny gave her a bobbypin. Rhoda pried beneath the statuette and presently found the small object for which she searched.
”It's here!” she announced triumphantly. ”See!”
Into Penny's hand she dropped a star-shaped gem which under artificial light had taken on a violet hue.
”By daylight it's even more beautiful,” Rhoda explained. ”It looks sky blue then.”
”Never have I seen anything so gorgeous,” Penny murmured in awe. ”And to think Jay Highland nearly made off with it! How clever of you to let him believe it was hidden in the suitcase!”
”I was desperate,” Rhoda chuckled. ”Grandfather willed the sapphire to me, and I intend to keep it always.”
”Then you're not afraid of the old superst.i.tion, that harm will befall the owner?”
”I should say not!” grinned Rhoda. ”That was only Grandmother's idea. If ordinary precautions are taken, the gem always will be safe. After all, it's highly insured.”
”As Mr. Ayling now realizes to his sorrow,” added Penny. ”Let's see if he and Mr. Merkill are out of the crypt.”
Before the girls could find the stairway leading down, policemen appeared, a.s.sisting the two men to the first floor of the monastery. Mr.
Ayling, who had been imprisoned only a short time, was able to walk.
However, it was necessary for officers to carry Mr. Merkill.
”Save my wife,” he pleaded. ”She is here somewhere. That crook stole a diamond necklace from her too!”