She had then herself locked
them up, and she now produced the key. The lock was still so far uninjured
that the key would turn it. That was her evidence. Crabstick, with a good
deal of reticence, supported her mistress. She had seen the diamonds, no
doubt, but had not seen them often. She had seen them down at Portray, but
not for ever so long. Crabstick had very little to say about them; but the
clever superintendent was by no means sure that Crabstick did not know
more than she said. Mrs. Carbuncle and Lord George had also seen the
diamonds at Portray. There was no doubt whatever as to the diamonds having
been in the iron box; nor was there, said Lord George, any doubt but that
this special necklace had acquired so much public notice from the fact of
the threatened lawsuit, as might make its circumstances and value known to
London thieves. The tall footman was not examined, but was detained by the
police under a remand given by the magistrates.
Much information as to what had been done oozed out in spite of the
precautions of the discreet superintendent. The wires had been put into
operation in every direction, and it had been discovered that one man whom
nobody knew had left the down mail train at Annan, and another at
Dumfries.
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