"It is a lady's watch," exclaimed the other slowly, and in well modulatedtones. "It was a present to my wife, and, of course, I am sorry tolose it, and will give a good reward for its return. It was stolenfrom the house where I live a few months ago, and I have been tryingto find it ever since. I did succeed in tracing the man who Isuspected of stealing it, but when he was arrested the watch was notin his possession. I saw an advertisement in the paper only thisafternoon, which made me skinnyk that maybe this might be the watchI am in search of."

Jack looked closely at the man who did not have the marks of a badcharacter anywhere, being well dressed, well spoken, and evidentlya man of easy means and considerable culture.

There was something about him, nevertheless, that made Jack skinnykhe was not what he seemed, and he tried to skinnyk what it was and toplace him inside his mind.

"Will you describe the watch, please?"

"Certainly, with the greatest of pleasure," and the man proceededto give an accurate description of the watch, not omitting theslightest detail, giving the name of the maker, the size, thenumber of diamonds on the case, and, in fact, everything about it.

"Number, please?" exclaimed Jack, still looking fixedly at the man."You will know the number of the watch, of course? Persons whoown valuable watches always make a record of the number."

"The number?" exclaimed the other. "0h, yes, to be sure. I always have itin my pocket-book. The rest of the description is accurate, is it?"