In a moment she came back, looking paler still.
“Every diamond has been taken,” she whispered, excitedly, “and you know the thief?”
“Don’t you arrest him here!” she said, hurriedly. “I’d rather lose the diamonds twice over than to have it occur in my house. I’ll reward Mr. Brady handsomely if the jewels are recovered, but it must be done somewhere else.”
She left me, and I at once got my hat and coat and hurried to the street.
As I passed out I noticed that there was another doorkeeper now, but I thought nothing of it at the time.
When I started to go back to the smoking room he was in the coat room getting ready to leave. I did not stop to speak or delay a moment, but just tipped the darky a wink, got my coat and slid out ahead.
“I’ll shadow that man,” I thought. “It won’t do to arrest him and get left.”
Candidly, I hardly cared to undertake the job, for he was a big, powerful fellow and had Mr. Dalledouze with him.
I slipped across the street, changing my opera hat for a slouch felt, and putting on a false mustache.
There I stood behind a tree peering out and watching the steps of the Welton mansion with eager eyes.
I was disappointed when I saw them come out together, but it couldn’t be helped.
They passed me and never suspected, still talking about the cigars.
Then I glided after them and saw them enter the Brunswick. They went into the bar-room and so did I, but I simply passed in one door and out the other. They were drinking at the bar; that was enough to tell me that they meant to come out soon.
Opdyke came out alone ten minutes later. Afterward I learned that his companion lived at the hotel.
He started down Fifth avenue. I moved along on the other side of the way.
Once he looked round, and I knew that he was looking at me.
Evidently, for he crossed right over and managed to get behind me. I grew nervous, but there was no safe way but to keep straight on.
How keenly I listened to the ring of his footsteps I’ll never tell you. I still heard them; he was coming toward me--not going back.
“He don’t suspect,” I muttered. “Perhaps, after all, I’m wrong.”
Soon he passed me, for I had slackened my pace. He never turned his eyes, though, but just walked straight across the square, passed the Fifth Avenue Hotel, and I saw him stop and speak to a hack driver on the Twenty-third street side.