Adams edged carefully away from the bed and glided safely away from the sleeping fox. He dipped a slip of paper from his wrinkled pocket and started to read mechanically.
"Largest diamond came from Africa--weight one pound and a quarter--didn"t get the name of it, because I couldn"t p.r.o.nounce it anyhow." He looked up anxiously. "Is that enough?"
Jim put the pipe away carefully.
"For brevity," he admitted. "It"s perfect. But it will do."
"So?"
"From what I saw of that diamond last night," Drake continued, "it must have weighed at least two pounds. Perfectly cut and yet by no one in this country. Puffy, we"ve a perfectly swell mystery on our hands."
"And the fox?" Adams added, with a suspicious look at the drowsy animal on the bed. "What in h.e.l.l"s bells made you bring it here?"
"George Lardner," Drake said slowly.
"_What?_"
"Lardner was at the zoo this afternoon," Jim explained. "He paid a large sum of money to make sure he could steal the fox tonight. If Lardner wanted it that bad, what could I lose?"
He didn"t mention the sudden vision of Sylvia Fanton he had seen, haunting and lovely in the cage.
"So he thinks Sylvia had the rock?" Puffy"s face awakened with new angles.
"So do I," Drake admitted. "At least she knows a lot about it."
He jerked upright suddenly, caught by the sudden movement on the bed.
Adams wheeled, his eyes following Jim"s.
"Holy Ned!" he shouted. "The girl...."
The silver fox was gone. Sylvia Fanton, more lovely than ever was stretched comfortably across the bed, her slim limbs partly covered by the fox cape. She was real this time. Drake caught the look of grat.i.tude in her eyes.
"Then you _are_ real," he went toward her in long strides. "I was beginning to wonder."
She crouched away from him slightly, trying to stretch the short fur to cover her rounded limbs. The task wasn"t very successful.
"I"m sorry," she whispered. He knew she _was_ sorry. Sorry for all the trouble she had caused him.
"But why...?"
She sat up, shielding herself carefully.
"It"s very simple," she explained. "I am doomed to wear the body of a fox during those hours when the sun is high. At night...." She motioned toward the window with slim fingers.
Drake turned, saw that the sun had drifted behind the distant skyline and darkness had come down on the city. He smiled, only partly understanding.
"At night you become a very lovely woman. I know that much."
Sylvia Fanton blushed.
"Thanks!"
Puffy whistled.
"Leave it to Cinderella Drake," he grinned. "Man, you sure hit the jack-pot this time."
Drake sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Please tell us about yourself," he begged. "There"s something I should know? Some way I can help?"
She shook her head sadly.
"I"m sorry. I owe you an explanation, and don"t think I"m not grateful. More than that I can"t tell you now."
"Listen," Jim said. "I may have been drunk last night. Perhaps I"m a mild sort of rotter, but at least I want to try."
The girl shrugged her shoulders helplessly.
"I"m sorry," she said. "It may sound foolish, but the success of my mission here depends on myself alone. The lives of many people are hinged on my playing the game alone. The curse that holds me, binds my people also."
Puffy Adams" jaw dropped. He reached for the always ready bottle in the small bar and poured a drink. He swallowed it with a loud gulp.
"George Lardner shares your knowledge," Drake said.
Sylvia"s body shuddered under the fur.
"Lardner is a snake." Her voice was as cold as ice. "His greed has destroyed my people. Death will be his reward."
"All of which means," Drake said evenly. "You have recovered the diamond that you held in your hands last night at the Owl Limb."
The girl arose slowly. The fur draped itself about her body revealing warm shoulders, slim, evenly tapered legs. She stood like something apart from them, small and queenly. Her voice was strained and hurt.
"I cannot say more. You have helped me in the quest of the flaming diamond and you will be rewarded. Now, I must go before I cause your death also."
Jim felt helpless--lost. She had aroused emotions in his heart that had been long buried. Now with stark death and worse threatening her, Sylvia Fanton proposed to leave him forever. He was at her side, his hand clasping the warm wrist tightly.
"Let me help," he begged. "I"m not much on speeches but you"re in trouble. I can believe what I have seen. If there is a way of saving you torture, I"m going to do it."
Sylvia stared up at him, tears misting her dark eyes. For a moment he was sure she would throw herself into his arms.
"You"re very nice," she said softly. "I"d be grateful forever if you _could_ help, but you can"t. I know my task and I have others with me who know theirs. It will be best if we never meet again."
Drake"s jaw grew stubborn.