The young officer stroked his thin black moustache. He had listened to Harvey Grimm's words attentively. He even indicated, in the slow movement of his head, some measure of approbation. "To all that you have said, Mr. Harvey Grimm, I can make you only one reply," he said. "Every step which I have taken in life has been carefully thought out. The present position, although necessity has here intervened to some extent, has been subject to the same attentive consideration. I am safer than you think. Let that be enough. That I have friends is proved by the little visitation which was made upon Mr. Aaron Rodd the other day. I offer you no apologies, sir," he continued, bowing across the table. "It was part of the game. When we thrust the law outside our lives, as you have done and I, then we must take our knocks philosophically. For the future, however, even though we play the thieves' game, there is no reason why we should not play it honestly." "A very admirable sentiment," the poet murmured. "To put this matter upon a business basis, Mr. Grimm," Captain Brinnen continued, "supposing I supply you with a certain quantity of diamonds, will you guarantee to have them cut as so to render them unrecognisable, dispose of them, hand me two-thirds of the proceeds and retain a third yourself?" "I have worked before upon those terms," Harvey Grimm replied. "I accept them. There is one little matter, though, to be cleared up." Captain Brinnen smiled grimly. "I fancy that I follow you," he observed. "You refer to the mysterious disappearance of a diamond from your friend's office?" Harvey Grimm coughed. "Bearing in mind, as I took the liberty of pointing out a few minutes ago, that its disappearance saved you from considerable inconvenience----" he began. "The affair is finished," Brinnen interrupted. "Carry out faithfully the other transactions which we may arrange, and we will adopt--shall I say a resigned attitude?--with regard to that incident. When are you prepared to deal with the first parcel of stones?" "At any moment," Harvey Grimm promised. "You will bring them to me?" The girl, who had been listening eagerly to their conversation, leaned across the table. "I think," she said, "that this time you had better come and fetch them, Mr. Grimm, or, better still--send Mr. Aaron Rodd." "Or me," the poet suggested. She shook her head. "It is to be Mr. Aaron Rodd," she decided. "You will not be afraid?" she added, turning towards him with a little smile at the corners of her lips. "Where am I to come to, and when?" he enquired. She glanced at her brother, then back again towards her neighbour. "I shall tell you presently," she whispered. The little party broke up shortly afterwards. The hall outside, where they lingered to make their adieux, was unusually crowded. Harvey Grimm felt a touch upon his elbow. "A pleasant luncheon, I trust?"