Mr. Czenki shook his head.

"Not even the Koh-i-noor. It is larger, that's all--a fraction more
than one hundred and six carats, but it has neither the coloring nor
the cutting of this." There was a pause. "Would it be impertinent
if I ask who owns this?"

"I don't know," replied Mr. Latham slowly. "I don't know; but it
isn't ours. Perhaps later I'll be able to--"

"I beg your pardon," the expert interrupted courteously, and there
was a slight expression of surprise on his thin scarred face. "Is
that all?"

Mr. Latham nodded absently and Mr. Czenki left the room.



CHAPTER II

TWEEDLEDUM AND TWEEDLEDEE

A little while later, when Mr. Latham started out to luncheon, he
thrust the white glazed box into an inside pocket. It had occurred
to him that Schultze--Gustave Schultze, the greatest importer of
precious stones in America--was usually at the club where he had
luncheon, and--

He found Mr. Schultze, a huge blond German, sitting at a table in an
alcove, alone, gazing out upon Fifth Avenue in deep abstraction, with