hat belief was a great
possession, and much too important, as Gager thought, to be shared
lightly with such an one as Mr. Bunfit,--a thick-headed sort of man,
in Gager's opinion, although, no doubt, he had by means of industry
been successful in some difficult cases.

"'Is lordship ain't stirred," said Bunfit.

"How do you mean,--stirred, Mr. Bunfit?"

"Ain't moved nowheres out of London."

"What should he move out of London for? What could he get by cutting?
There ain't nothing so bad when anything's up against one as letting
on that one wants to bolt. He knows all that. He'll stand his ground.
He won't bolt."

"I don't suppose as he will, Gager. It's a rum go; ain't it?--the
rummest as I ever see." This remark had been made so often by Mr.
Bunfit, that Gager had become almost weary of hearing it.

"Oh,--rum; rum be b---- What's the use of all that? From what the
governor told me this morning, there isn't a shadow of doubt where
the diamonds are."

"In Paris,--of course," said Bunfit.

"They never went to Paris. They were taken from here to Hamburg in a
commercial man's kit,--a fellow as travels in knives and scissors.
Then they was recut. They say the cutting was the quickest bit of
work ever done by one man in Hamburg. And now they're in New York.
That's what has come of the diamonds."

"Benjamin, in course," said Bunfit, in a low whisper, just taking the
pipe from between his lips.

"Well;--yes. No doubt it was Benjamin. But how did Benjamin get 'em?"

"Lord George,--in course," said Bunfit.

"And how did he get 'em?"

"Well;--that's where it is; isn't it?" Then there was a pause, during
which Bunfit continued to smoke. "As sure as your name's Gager, he
got 'em at Carlisle."

"And what took Smiler down to Carlisle?"

"Just to put a face on it," said Bunfit.

"And who cut the door?"

"Billy Cann did," said Bunfit.

"And who forced the box?"

"Them two did," said Bunfit.

"And all to put a face on it?"

"Yes;--just that. And an uncommon good face they did put on it
between 'em;--the best as I ever see."

"All right," said Gager. "So far, so good. I don't agree with you,
Mr. Bunfit; because the thing, when it was done, wouldn't be worth
the money. Lord love you, what would all that have cost? And what was
to prevent the lady and Lord George together taking the diamonds to
Benjamin and getting their price? It never does to be too clever,
Mr. Bunfit. And when that was all done, why did the