here's that poor
Nizam of Jigamaree, for instance--poor devil, he must be the bluest
brown man that ever lived."

Wilkins started nervously as I mentioned the prince by name.

"Wh-why do you think that?" he asked, nervously fingering his
butter-knife.

"It's tough luck to have to give away a diamond that's worth three or
four times as much as the Koh-i-noor," I said. "Suppose you owned a
stone like that. Would you care to give it away?"

"Not by a damn sight!" cried Wilkins, forcibly, and I noticed great
tears gathering in his eyes.

"Still, he can't help himself, I suppose," I said, gazing abruptly at
his scarf-pin. "That is, he doesn't KNOW that he can. The Queen expects
it. It's been announced, and now the poor devil can't get out of
it--though I'll tell you, Mr. Wilkins, if I were the Nizam of Jigamaree,
I'd get out of it in ten seconds."

I winked at him significantly. He looked at me blankly.

"Yes, sir," I added, merely to arouse him, "in just ten seconds! Ten
short, beautiful seconds."

"Mr. Postlethwaite," said the Nizam--Postlethwaite was the name I
was travelling under--"Mr. Postlethwaite," said the Nizam--otherwise
Wilkins--"your remarks interest me greatly." His face wreathed with a
smile that I had never before seen there. "I have thought as you do in
regard to this poor Indian prince, but I must confess I don't see how
he can get out of giving the Queen that diamond. Have a cigar, Mr.
Postlethwaite, and, waiter, bring us a triple magnum of champagne. Do
you really think, Mr. Postlethwaite, that there is a way out of it? If
you would like a ticket to Westminster for the ceremony, there are a
half-dozen."

He tossed six tickets for seats among the crowned heads across the table
to me. His eagerness was almost too painful to witness.

"Thank you," said I, calmly pocketing the tickets, for they were of rare
value at that time. "The way out of it is very simple."

"Indeed, Mr. Postlethwaite," said he, trying to keep cool. "Ah--are you
interested in rubies, sir? There are a few which I should be pleased to
have you accept"--and with that over came a handful of precious stones
each worth a fortune. These also I pocketed as I replied:

"Why, certainly; if I were the Nizam," said I, "I'd lose that diamond."

A shade of disappointment came over Mr. Wilkins's face.

"Lose it? How? Where?" he asked, with a frown.

"Yes. Lose it. Any way I could. As for the place where it should be
lost, any old pla