the sloughs of lust of
gold--a name once honoured among nations. It is such as you that have
earned for the Jewish people a repute it ill deserves. Save for such as
Mr. Antony Elschild, you and your like must have blotted out for ever
all that is glorious in the Jewish name. Despite all, you have succeeded
in staining it--and darkly. I have a mission. It is to erase that stain.
Therefore, when the list appears of those who wish to preserve intact
the British Empire, your name shall figure amongst the rest!"

Hague groaned.

"It will be explained, for the benefit of the curious, and to the glory
of the Jews, that in some measure of recognition of those vast profits
reaped from British ventures, you are desirous of showing your interest
in British welfare!"

"It will be my ruin in Berlin!"

"I should regret to think so. Had you, in the whole of your career,
during the entire period that you have been swelling your money-bags
with British money, devoted one guinea--one paltry guinea--to any
charitable purpose here, I had spared you the risk. As matters stand, I
shall require your cheque for an amount equal to that subscribed by Mr.
Elschild."

"_Fifty thousand pounds!_" gasped Hague.

"Exactly! Pen and ink are on the table. Your cheque book I have left in
your pocket!"

"I won't----"

Hague met the eyes of the incomprehensible man who watched him from
beyond the table; he saw the gleam of the ring, as Severac Bablon placed
a pen within reach.

"You--must be--mad!"

"You will decidedly be mad, Baron, if you refuse, for I assure you, upon
my word of honour, I shall lay those papers before those whom they will
interest in the morning!"

"And--if--I give you such a----"

"Immediately your cheque is cleared I will return the papers."

"And--the diamonds?"

"I shall consider my course in regard to the diamonds."

"This--is robbery!"

"And your mode of obtaining the diamonds, Baron--what should you term
that?"

"You mean to ruin me!"

"Be good enough either to draw the cheque, payable to the editor of the
_Gleaner_--who will act in this matter, since I cannot appear--or to
decline definitely to do so."

"It will ruin me."

"To decline? I admit that!"

Very shakily, having taken his cheque book from his pocket, Baron Hague
drew and signed a cheque for the fabulous, the atrocious sum of L50,000.

A heavy smell--overpowering--crept to his nostrils as he bent forward
over the table. He mentally ascribe