The King of Diamonds: A Tale of Mystery and AdventureTracy, Louis
General
The King of Diamonds: A Tale of Mystery and Adventure
Tracy, Louis
Detective and mystery stories; Fiction
He awaited Philip in his private office. He seemed to be pleased by the
change effected in the boy's outward appearance. There was less of
burlesque, less outrage to his feelings, in discussing big sums of money
with a person properly attired than with one who wore the garments of a
tramp.
"Good-morning," he said, pleasantly. "You are punctual, I am glad to
see. Have you been to Somerset House?"
"No," said Philip.
"Why not? If you are going to control a big capital, you must learn
business habits or you will lose it, no matter how large it may be."
"Would Somerset House compel you to pay me, Mr. Isaacstein?"
"Not exactly, but the stamping of important documents is a means toward
an end, I assure you."
"I will see to it, but I wanted primarily to be certain of one of two
things: First, will you pay the five thousand pounds as promised?
Second, will you give me a fresh purchase note for my diamonds which
will not indicate so definitely that I am the boy concerning whom there
has been so much needless publicity during the last few days?"
It was of no avail for Isaacstein to bandy words with Philip. A boy of
fifteen who casually introduced such a word as "primarily" into a
sentence, and gave a shrewd thrust about "needless publicity" to the
person responsible for it, was not to be browbeaten, even in business
affairs.
The Jew whipped out a check book.
"Am I to make out a check for five thousand pounds to 'Philip'?" he
asked.
"No; to Philip Anson, please."
"Thank you; and now, shall I put any address on the contract note which
I will hand you?"
"The Pall Mall Hotel."
Isaacstein with difficulty choked back a comment. The Pall Mall Hotel
was the most expensive establishment in London. He tossed the check and
another document across the table.
"There you are," he said. "Come with me to my bank. You will excuse the
hurry. I have a lot to do before I leave for Amsterdam to-night."
Philip saw that the acknowledgment of his diamonds appeared to be in
proper form.
"There is no need at this moment to explain to the bank manager that I
am the hero of the police court affair?" he said.
"None whatever. I am lending you the money, and will be paying you a
good deal more very soon. That will be sufficient. He may draw his own
conclusions, of course."
Philip was now looking at the check.
"Why do you put 'account payee' between these two strokes?" he said.
The Jew explained, and even found time to show him how to cross and
indorse such important slips of paper.
Then they walked to the bank, a few doors away. The elderly manager was
obviously surprised by the size of the check and the youth of the
"payee."
"Oh, this is nothing--a mere flea bite," said Isaacstein. "In a few days
he will have ten times the amount to his credit."
"Dear me. Are you realizing property on his behalf?"
"Yes."
"Well, Mr. Anson," said the manager, pleasantly, "I hope you will take
care of your money."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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