says," Mr. Schultze continued slowly. "Und ve _may_ haf to do
vatever as he says, anywhow."

"Put one hundred million dollars into diamonds in one year--just the
five of us?" demanded the other. "It's preposterous."

"Id _iss_ brebosterous," the German agreed readily; "but das iss no
argument." He was silent for a little while. "Vere does he ged dem?
Vere does he ged dem?" he repeated thoughtfully. "Do you believe,
Laadham, it vould be bossible to smuggle in dwenty, d'irty, ein
hundred million dollars of diamonds?"

"Certainly not," was the reply.

"Den, if dey were _nod_ smuggled in, dey are somewhere on der records
of der Custom House, ain'd id?"

Mr. Latham snapped his fingers with a sudden realization of this
possibility.

"Schultze, I believe that is our clew!" he exclaimed keenly.
"Certainly they would have been listed by the customs department; and
come to think of it, the tariff on them would have been enormous, so
enormous that--that--" and he lost the hopeful tone--"so enormous
that we must have heard of it when it became a matter of public
record."

"_Yah_," Mr. Schultze agreed. "Diamonds like dose dupligates of der
Koh-i-noor, der Orloff und der Regent could never haf passed through
der Custom House, Laadham, mitoud attracting attention, so?"