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"Yes, they have shown extraordinary energy. The whole garden has

already been minutely examined."

"Now, my dear sir," said Holmes, "is it not obvious to you now

that this matter really strikes very much deeper than either you

or the police were at first inclined to think? It appeared to you

to be a simple case; to me it seems exceedingly complex. Consider

what is involved by your theory. You suppose that your son came

down from his bed, went, at great risk, to your dressing-room,

opened your bureau, took out your coronet, broke off by main

force a small portion of it, went off to some other place,

concealed three gems out of the thirty-nine, with such skill that

nobody can find them, and then returned with the other thirty-six

into the room in which he exposed himself to the greatest danger

of being discovered. I ask you now, is such a theory tenable?"

"But what other is there?" cried the banker with a gesture of

despair. "If his motives were innocent, why does he not explain

them?"