the greeting of a woman simply crushed by anxiety.
He said, "I'm awfully sorry about this, Edna. You've had a disagreeable time--aside from the pearls, I mean."
She raised her large sullen eyes.
"If only you had not made me promise, Tony--so that I was not free to turn a thief out of my house until she had actually stolen my valuables. A woman has an intuition when she's allowed to follow it."
He had not a word to say in answer. He had an interview with the detective--the head man, Mr. Albertson; the other one was engaged in watching Miss Exeter--the false Miss Exeter, who was sitting, as her custom was of an afternoon, on the beach. It was this habit of sitting for hours alone on the beach that had led to the theory that the pearls were hidden there, waiting the right opportunity to be dug up and dispatched to a confederate.
Mr. Albertson was a tall, gray-haired man of the utmost dignity.
His figure would have been improved by a faithful addiction to the daily dozen, and his feet were extraordinarily large. He had a calm, grand manner and was extremely chivalrous in his attitude toward all women--even those he was engaged in sending to jail. He reminded Anthony of the walrus--or was it the carpenter?--who wept so bitterly for the oysters while he sorted out those of the largest size. Mr.