Page:Vance--The rass bowl.djvu/388

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THE BRASS BOWL

and he might not see it; and she shivered slightly, staring out of the window at the passing lights. He saw, and perforce paused.

"You—you don't understand," she told him in a rush. "You give me credit beyond my due. I didn't break into your flat again, to-night, in order to return the jewels—at least, not for that alone."

"But you did bring back the jewels?"

She nodded.

"Then doesn't that prove what I claim, prove that you've cleared yourself——?"

"No," she told him firmly, with the firmness of despair; "it does not. Because I did not come for that only. I came with another purpose,—to steal, as well as to make restitution. And I … I stole."

There was a moment's silence, on his part incredulous. "I don't know what you mean. What did you steal? Where is it?"

"I have lost it——"

"Was it in your hand-bag?"

"You found that?"

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