"

"I am greatly obliged to you but all I require at present is about five
hundred piasters, in hard money."

"Ah then, you have made money where you have been?" observed Mr. Van
Voorst, eying me keenly through his great horn spectacles.

"Not money, but money's worth," I replied, for I had quite decided to make
a confident of the honest old Dutchman, whom I liked all the better for
going straight to the point without asking too many questions.

"Then it must be merchandise and merchandise is money--sometimes."

"Yes, it is merchandise."

"If it be readily salable in this island or on the Spanish Main we shall
be glad to receive it from you on consignment and make you a liberal
advance against bills of lading. Hardware and cotton prints are in great
demand just now, and if it is anything of that sort we might sell it to
arrive."

"It is nothing of that sort, Mr. Van Voorst."

"More portable, perhaps?"

"Yes, more portable."

"If you could show me a sample--"

"I can show you the bulk."

"You have got it in the schooner?"

"No, I have got it here."

"Gold dust?"

"Diamonds. I found them in the Andes, and shall be glad to have your
advice as to their disposal."

"Diamonds! Ach! you are a happy man. If you would like to show me them I
can perhaps give you some idea of their value. The house of Goldberg & Van
Voorst, at Amsterdam, in which I was brought up, deal largely in precious
stones."

On this I undid my belt and poured the diamonds on a large sheet of white
paper, which Mr. Van Voorst spread on his desk.

"_Mein Gott! Mein Gott!_" he exclaimed in ecstacy, glaring at the diamonds
through his big glasses and picking out the finest with his fat fingers.
"This is the finest collection of rough stones I ever did see. They are
worth--until they are weighed and cut it is impossible to say how
much--but at least a million dollars, probably two millions. You found
them in the Andes? You could not say where, could you, Mr. Fortescue?"

"I could, but I would rather not."

"I beg your pardon. I should have known better than to ask. You intend to
go there again, of course?"

"Never! It would be at the risk of my life--and there are other reasons."

"There is no need. You are rich already, and enough is as good as a feast.
You ask my advice as to the disposal of these stones. Well, my advice is
that you consign them, through us, to the house of Goldberg, Van Voorst &
Company. They are honest and experi