e I
noted a couple of husky men, who seemed to be waiting for orders from
their chief.

From the manner in which the vice-president greeted us it was evident
that he was keenly interested in what Kennedy was about to do. "So
you think Morowitch's deal was a deal to purchase the secret of
diamond-making?" he mused.

"I feel sure of it," replied Craig. "I felt sure of it the moment I
looked up Poissan and found that he was a manufacturer of electric
furnaces. Don't you remember the famous Lemoine case in London and
Paris?"

"Yes, but Lemoine was a fakir of the first water;" said Andrews. "Do you
think this man is, too?"

"That's what I'm going to find out to-night before I take another step,"
said Craig. "Of course there can be no doubt that by proper use the
electric furnace will make small, almost microscopic diamonds. It is not
unreasonable to suppose that some day someone will be able to make large
diamonds synthetically by the same process."

"Maybe this man has done it," agreed Andrews. "Who knows? I'll wager
that if he has and that if Morowitch had bought an interest in his
process Kahan knew of it. He's a sharp one. And Mrs. Morowitch doesn't
let grass grow under her feet, when it comes to seeing the main chance
as to money. Now just supposing Mr. Morowitch had bought an interest in
a secret like that and supposing Kahan was in love with Mrs. Morowitch
and that they--"

"Let us suppose nothing, Mr. Andrews," interrupted Kennedy. "At least
not yet. Let me see; it is now ten minutes after eight. Poissan's place
is only a few blocks from here. I'd like to get there a few minutes
early. Let's start."

As we left the office, Andrews signalled to the two men outside, and
they quietly followed a few feet in the rear, but without seeming to be
with us.

Poissan's laboratory was at the top of a sort of loft building a dozen
stories or so high. It was a peculiar building, with several entrances
besides a freight elevator at the rear and fire-escapes that led to
adjoining lower roofs.

We stopped around the corner in the shadow, and Kennedy and Andrews
talked earnestly. As near as I could make out Kennedy was insisting that
it would be best for Andrews and his men not to enter the building
at all, but wait down-stairs while he and I went up. At last the
arrangement was agreed on.

"Here," said Kennedy, undoing a package he had carried, "is a little
electric bell with a couple of fresh dry batteries attached to