"Whose diamonds were they?" he demanded.

"They were his, as far as we know," replied Mr. Latham.

"How much were they worth?"

Mr. Latham looked him over thoughtfully.

"I am not at liberty to tell you that, Mr. Birnes," he said at last.
"There are a great number of them, and they are worth--they are
worth a large sum of money. And they are all unset. That's enough
for you to know, I think."

It seemed to be quite enough for Mr. Birnes to know.

"It may be that I will have something further to report this
evening," he told Mr. Latham. "If not, I'll see you to-morrow,
here."

He went out. Ten minutes later he was talking to a friend in police
headquarters, over the telephone. The records there showed that the
license for the particular cab he had followed had been issued to one
William Johns. He was usually to be found around the cabstand in
Madison Square, and lived in Charlton Street.



CHAPTER VI

THE MYSTERIOUS WOMAN