"And I believe, too, that you once did some special work for Professor
Henri Moissan in Paris?"

Mr. Czenki's black eyes seemed to be searching the other's face for an
instant, and then he nodded affirmatively.

"I made some tests for him, yes," he volunteered.

Mr. Wynne passed on along the other side of the long table, and
stopped at the end. Mr. Latham was at his right, Mr. Schultze at
his left, and Mr. Czenki sat at the far end, facing him. The small
sole-leather grip was on the floor at Mr. Wynne's feet. For a moment
he permitted himself to enjoy the varying expressions of interest on
the faces around the table.

"Gentlemen," he began, then, "you all, probably, have seen my letter
to Mr. Latham, or at least you are aware of its contents, so you
understand that the diamonds which were mailed to you are your
property. I am not a eleemosynary institution for the relief of
diamond merchants," and he smiled a little, "for the gifts are
preliminary to a plain business proposition--a method of
concentrating your attention, and, in themselves, part payment, if
I may say it, for any worry or inconvenience which followed upon
their appearance. There are only five of them in the world, they
are precisely alike, and they are yours. I beg of you to accept
them with my compliments."

Mr. Schultze tilted his chair back a little, the better to study
the young man's countenance.