When Madam Rosler’s priceless red diamond, the Star of Hearts, was stolen, the staff at her country house was not unduly concerned that the police could not be at the scene of the robbery until much later that day. Mr. Seppings, the butler, announced that he would take charge of things at the house and such was the faith of the household in his keen intelligence and calm self-assurance. No one questioned his instructions when he arranged for the four people suspected of taking the diamond to be assembled in the room from which the valuable item had been taken.

Mrs. Rosler was away for a short hospital stay and Mr. Seppings insisted that she should not be informed of what had occurred until everything was resolved. It certainly sent an uneasy ripple of tension through the four suspects gathered in the living room when Mr. Seppings seemed so sure that the matter would be fixed and settled before the police even arrived. Only Mr. Seppings had been told of the diamond’s whereabouts, although it seemed that someone else must have discerned the hiding place. The living room cabinet, which had contained the jewel, had been found smashed open with the refreshment trolley. The cabinet stood in a corner by the window, the refreshment trolley had collided with it resulting in the colored glass shattering and no doubt revealing the diamond inside.