He leaned over, picked up a handful from the heap and replaced them
in the leather bag. The others he swept off into it, then snapped
the lock.

"I will give you one week to decide what you will do," he said in
conclusion. "If you accept the proposition, then six weeks from next
Thursday at three o'clock I shall expect a cash payment of ten
million dollars for a portion of the stones now cut and ready; within
a year all the diamonds will have been delivered and the transaction
must be closed." He hesitated an instant. "I'm sorry, gentlemen, if
the terms seem hard, but I think, after consideration, you will agree
that I have done you a favor by coming to you instead of going into
the market and destroying it. I will call next Thursday at three for
your answer. That is all. Good day!"

The door opened and closed behind him. A minute, two minutes, three
minutes passed and no one spoke. At last the German came to his feet
slowly with a sigh.

"Anyhow, gendlemens," he remarked, "dat young man has a hell of a lod
of diamonds, ain'd id?"



CHAPTER V

THE ASTUTE MR. BIRNES

It was a few minutes past four o'clock when Mr. Wynne strode through
the immense retail sales department of the H. Latham Company, and a