ppeared, and a moment later its owner, after
furtively looking in at the side door, entered quietly.

"Morning, boss," said he.

The pawnbroker nodded and waited.

"I want to have a little talk with you, boss," said the man, after
waiting for him to speak.

"All right, go on," said the other.

"What about 'im?" said the man, indicating the assistant with a nod.

"Well, what about him?" inquired the Jew.

"What I've got to say is private," said the man.

The Jew raised his eyebrows.

"You can go in and get your dinner, Bob," he said. "Now, what do you
want?" he continued. "Hurry up, because I'm busy."

"I come from a pal o' mine," said the man, speaking in a low voice, "him
what was 'ere last night. He couldn't come himself, so he sent me. He
wants it back."

"Wants what back?" asked the Jew.

"The diamond," said the other.

"Diamond? What on earth are you talking about?" demanded the pawnbroker.

"You needn't try to come it on me," said the other fiercely. "We want
that diamond back, and, mind you, we'll have it."

"You clear out," said the Jew. "I don't allow people to come threatening
me. Out you go."

"We'll do more than threaten you," said the man, the veins in his
forehead swelling with rage. "You've got that diamond. You got it for
five 'undred pound. We'll give you that back for it, and you may think
yourself lucky to get it."

"You've been drinking," said the Jew, "or somebody's been fooling you."

"Look here," said the man with a snarl, "drop it. I'm dealing fair an'
square by you. I don't want to hurt a hair of your head. I'm a peaceable
man, but I want my own, and, what's more, I can get it. I got the shell,
and I can get the kernel. Do you know what I mean by that?"

"I don't know, and I don't care," said the Jew. He moved off a little
way, and, taking some tarnished spoons from a box, began to rub them
with a piece of leather.

"I daresay you can take a hint as well as anybody else," said the other.
"Have you seen that before?"

He threw something on the counter, and the Jew started, despite himself,
as he glanced up. _It was the sailor's belt_.

"That's a hint," said the man with a leer, "and a very fair one."

The Jew looked at him steadily, and saw that he was white and nervous;
his whole aspect that of a man who was running a great risk for a great
stake.

"I suppose," he said at length, speaking very slowly, "that you want me
to understand that you have murdered the owner