"Lardner showed up there six months ago claiming he had found the world's largest diamond. He claimed he got it from a secret valley somewhere in the Baker Lake district." "Fantastic!" They had reached their destination and Drake pulled the coupe in smoothly to the curb. The lights over the door of the Owl Limb Night Club were darkened. "The Explorer's Club doesn't think so. They are mighty stirred up about his find. The only thing that puzzles them is how come the stone is cut. Lardner refuses to tell them who did the job. As for finding it where he did, it seems they've had an idea there were diamonds in that country and were just waiting for someone to prove it."[1] [Footnote 1: Professor Hobbs of the University of Michigan has found several small diamonds and diamond particles in the strata of the glacial flow throughout certain northern states. Hobbs, a careful and painstaking research worker, used his knowledge of geology to trace the strata of the glacial flow. He determined several years ago that the diamonds came from the north, somewhere in the Hudson Bay area. Although his co-workers are confident that he is correct, a rush of prospectors failed to find anything that would prove his theory. Although opinions among geologists vary, many believe in Hobbs and his work. A consulting gem expert at the world famous Field Museum put forth this story to your editor, and convinced him that Hobbs is a clear headed expert who knows what he is talking about. Somewhere under the waste of snow, probably a little east of Hudson Bay, there is a fortune in uncovered diamonds. A fortune that could easily eclipse the yield of Africa's richest diamond fields.--ED.] * * * * * Jim Drake knew all he wanted to for the time being. He turned toward the unlighted marquee of the Owl Limb. "Looks as though the police closed the place up," Puffy said soberly. "Gonna stay sober tonight?" "Do you know where that check room girl lives; the one you call Mary?" Drake asked. Puffy's face sobered. "She's married and has three kids," he said. "I don't know where any married women live." Jim chuckled. He twisted the car into the traffic again, and with a swift U-turn, headed the coupe toward home. "Just the same I need information from a married woman," he said. "And you're getting out at the next corner in a perhaps futile effort to find Mary." "And if her husband doesn't meet me at the door with a shotgun," Puffy asked, "what do I ask her?" Jim shot an appraising look toward the deserted corner ahead, whipped the coupe up beside a traffic officer and opened the door. "From now on," he said, "we are interested in Lardner. He's a busy man these days. Mary ought to know where her boss is. Women like that have an idea of everything that is going on. Find out where Lardner went and meet me at the apartment as soon as you can." Puffy was already on the sidewalk.