“What direction is his investigation taking?” “He has made a study of the grounds, and was at the railroad station when I came away, questioning the agent and the night watchman, who had been sent for.” “I am glad he has been kept out of the house,” said the detective. “I can’t get the thing through my head,” said the young man. “One man murdered, two persons assaulted and left unconscious, my own room entered and robbed, and I the only one on the floor not aroused by the noise. It seems a strange case.” “Now about the murder of your uncle,” said Nick. “How was the death wound inflicted?” “He was struck on the temple with some blunt instrument. He was in his pajamas and lying across the bed when found. It looks as if he had arisen to a sitting position when awakened, and was then seized by the throat. There are marks as though a struggle had taken place.” “And your aunt?” “There is a cut over the left eye.” “Not a serious one?” “Oh, no. It is difficult, however, to imagine what sort of a weapon made the cut. It seems to be three-cornered.” “And Anton?” “There is no question but that he was struck with a pair of iron knuckles. The wound shows that plainly enough.” Nick remained silent for some moments. He was puzzling over the fact that the gems had been so soon located in the house by the thieves. “By whom were the diamonds delivered?” he finally asked. “By a messenger from the American Express office.” “Who paid the duty?” “The express company.” “It must have been a heavy one.” “It was,” answered the young man. “It took all my little fortune.” Nick entered the telephone booth and called up the American Express office. In a few moments he learned that the diamonds had arrived in New York the previous day at noon on an ocean liner, and that they had remained in charge of the company only an hour before the departure of the messenger. No one in the employ of the company, except the man who had paid the duty and the manager, knew of the valuable contents of the package. While the detective was puzzling over the case, Chick entered and was soon in possession of its main features as known to his chief. “Where were the diamonds shipped from?” he asked. “Originally from Cape Town,” replied the young man, “but direct from Liverpool.” Chick looked at his chief with a smile on his face. “It is a pretty case, I imagine,” he said. “The gems must have been followed from Cape Town.” “Well, in that case,” said young Maynard, “the man who did the following made quick work of it after they arrived in this country. Of course, the route to the hiding place of the murderer must be discovered by tracing the diamonds. Don’t you think so?” he added, turning to Nick. “It will, I think, prove easier to find the murderer than the diamonds,” said Nick. “The gems may be passed on from hand to hand, or separated and scattered to the end of the world, while the murderer cannot halve his crime with any one.”