area. This talk prompts a discussion on the nature of honesty, the suggestiveness of people and the riches accumulated by Mr. Blundell. These riches are demonstrated in part by the expensive pearl earrings worn by his daughter, and which keep coming loose. Pyne detects an undercurrent of embarrassment within the discussion. The next day the party makes its way to the top of a plateau to marvel at the view. When they reach their destination, Carver points out to Carol that she has lost one of her earrings. She is certain that she had it when she reached the plateau. At that moment, Carver had seen it was loose again and had screwed it in for her. They search the ground around them, but the object is not there. The suspicion grows that it has been stolen. Colonel Dubosc demands to be searched to prove his innocence. The others agree, especially Mr. Blundell who states that he has his own reasons for doing so, "though I don't want to state them". The pearl is not found. Just after lunch, Carol appears in Pyne's tent and employs him to find the pearl. She especially wants to prove the innocence of Jim Hurst who is a reformed thief. He was stealing from her father's house when she met him. She saw how desperate Jim was, and convinced her father to employ him. He has proven his worth and she is in love with him, although Mr. Blundell wants her to marry Sir Donald. Pyne asks why her father wanted to be searched. Carol thinks that he wanted to be searched, because she could think that it was him who stole the pearl. His motive would be to blame Hurst and to not let him marry Carol. Pyne agrees to help and after a small amount of thought confronts Doctor Carver. The archaeologist admits that he took the pearl, wrapping it in a small piece of plasticine that he carries to take imprints from carvings. The comments made about the suggestiveness of people prompted him to tell Carol that the jewel was loose and to offer to fix it back into place. In fact, this was a pretext to take the jewel from her. He was planning to use the enormous price the earring would fetch to finance an archaeological expedition. Pyne replies by informing him that this plan would not have worked.