The bird could pass
through the opening as it was, and _would have_ to tear the pin-cushion to
pull the brooch off, probably holding the cushion down with its claw the
while.
"Now in yesterday's case we had an alteration of conditions. The window
was shut and fastened, but the door was open--but only left for a few
minutes, during which time no sound was heard either of coming or going.
Was it not possible, then, that the thief was _already_ in the room, in
hiding, while Mrs. Cazenove was there, and seized its first opportunity on
her temporary absence? The room is full of draperies, hangings, and what
not, allowing of plenty of concealment for a bird, and a bird could leave
the place noiselessly and quickly. That the whole scheme was strange
mattered not at all. Robberies presenting such unaccountable features must
have been effected by strange means of one sort or another. There was no
improbability. Consider how many hundreds of examples of infinitely higher
degrees of bird-training are exhibited in the London streets every week
for coppers.
"So that, on the whole, I felt pretty sure of my ground.
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