‘Tell us exactly what happened,’ said Professor Fordney as he sat in his study with Mrs. Rollins.
‘It was a dark, moonless night.
‘At twelve o’clock, when we were about ten miles off Point Breeze, I retired to my cabin, leaving my husband on deck. We were alone on the boat.
‘In a few minutes, hearing loud shouts, I joined him again. We could hear a boat approaching, running without lights, as were we. My husband told me to return to the cabin, which I did.
‘Soon after doing so a bump, tramping feet, and loud swearing told me our visitors had come aboard. I went up and, just as I stepped on deck, a man put a gun against my ribs and told me to keep quiet. My husband was engaged in a terrific fight with two others.
‘They must have known he always carried that leather bag of loose diamonds because, when he dropped it in the fight, one of them picked it up from the deck.
‘They finally knocked him unconscious and took him to their boat after binding and gagging me. As you know, I was found drifting next morning by that fisherman.’
‘How was your husband dressed?’ inquired Fordney.
‘It was very hot—he had no shirt on, but wore dark trousers.’
‘Shoes or tennis slippers?’
‘Why—shoes, of course,’ replied Mrs. Rollins with noticeable hesitation.
‘Well,’ said Fordney tersely, ‘it’s amazing to me that you expect to collect insurance on your diamonds on such a flimsy yarn. You and your husband will be lucky if you aren’t prosecuted.’
