Page:Love Insurance - Earl Biggers (1914).djvu/308

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A BIT OF A BLOW
279

Minot followed him to the door.

"Aren't you going to thank me?" he asked. "You know, I saved you—"

"Thank you! Hell!" said Huntley, and disappeared into the dark.

When Minot returned he found Harrowby standing facing the Meyricks, and holding the necklace in his hand as though it were a bomb on the point of exploding.

"I say, I feel rather low," he was saying, "when I remember that I made you a present of this thing, Cynthia. But on my honor, I didn't know. And I can scarcely believe it now. I know the governor has been financially embarrassed—but I never suspected him of this—the associations were so dear—really—"

"It may not have been your father who duplicated Chain Lightning's Collar with a fake," Minot suggested.

"My word, old boy, who then?"

"You remember," said Minot, addressing the Meyricks, "that the necklace was stolen recently. Well—it was returned to Lord Harrowby under unusual circumstances. At least, this col-