Editing Lord Peter Views the Body (section)

===The Unprincipled Affair of the Practical Joker===
Wimsey is surprised when Mrs. Ruyslander, the wife of a diamond merchant, knocks on his hotel room door in the middle of the night. She asks for his help in recovering some stolen jewels, and a photograph with an indiscreet inscription, from a blackmailer before her husband returns from a trip to [[South Africa]]. Wimsey finds Paul Melville, the blackmailer, at one of his clubs; through [[sleight of hand]], Wimsey convinces the other members of the club that Melville has been hiding cards up his sleeve during [[poker]] games. Wimsey agrees to confront the now-vehemently-protesting Melville alone. After some arguing, Melville, much to his annoyance, is forced to return the diamonds and photograph to clear his name. After regaining Mrs. Ruyslander's property, Wimsey then returns to the other members of the club and exonerates Melville by demonstrating how the simple conjuring trick was done, assuring the onlookers that there are some crimes the law does not need to touch.