housand pounds----"

"Tiamonts, Mr. Hewitt--tiamonts! All from the case--here is the case,
empty----"

"Let us be methodical. We will shut the door and sit down." Hewitt
pressed his client into a chair and produced his note-book. "It will be
better to begin at the beginning. First, I should like to know your
name, and a few such particulars as that."

"Lewis Samuel, Hatton Garden--150, Hatton Garden--tiamont merchant."

"Yes. And what is your connection with Mr. Denson?"

"Business--just business," Samuel responded. He pronounced it
"pishness," and it seemed his favourite word. "Like this; I will tell
you. I haf known him some time, and did at first small pishness. He
bought a little tiamont and haf it set in pracelet, and he
pay--straightforward pishness. Then he bought some very good paste
stones, all set in gold, and he pay--quite straightforward pishness. At
the same time he says, 'I am pishness man myself, Mr. Samuel,' he says,
'and I like to make a little moneys as well as pay out sometimes. Don't
you want any little agencies done? I do all foreign commissions, and I
can forwart and receive and clear at dock and custom house. If you send
any tiamonts I can consign and insure--very cheapest rates to you,
special. If you want brokerage or buy and sell for you, confidential, I
can do it with lowest commission. Especially I haf good connection with
America. I haf many rich Americans, principals and customers,' he says,
'and often I could do pishness for you when they come over.'"

"By which he meant he might sell them diamonds?" Hewitt queried.

"Just so, Mr. Hewitt--reg'lar pishness. And after that two or three
little parcels of tiamonts he bought--for American customers, he says.
But he says he can do bigger pishness soon. Ay, so he has--goot heavens,
he has! But I tell you. I do also one or two small pishnesses with him,
and that is all right--he treat me very well and I pay when it suits.
Then he says, 'Samuel,' he says, very friendly now inteet, 'Samuel,
could you get a nice large lot of tiamonts for an American customer I
expect here soon?' And I say, 'Of course I can.' 'Enough,' he says, 'to
fit out a rich man's wife--that is, to pegin. He is not long rich, and
he will want more soon--ah, she will make him pay! But to pegin--a good
fit-out of tiamonts, eh?'

"I tell him yes, and I offer usual commission. But no, says Denson, he
wants no commission; he will make his own profit. That I don't mind so
long