But Melky was pricking his ears at the mere mention of anything relating to the diamond. "That's his chaff, Mr. Lauriston," he said. "Never mind him! What does Guyler think?" "Well, of course, Guyler doesn't know yet about the Chinese development," said Lauriston. "Guyler thinks the robbery has been the work of a gang--a clever lot of diamond thieves who knew about Stephen Purvis's find of the orange-yellow thing and put in a lot of big work about getting it when it reached England. And he believes that that gang has kidnapped Levendale, and that Stephen Purvis is working in secret to get at them. That's Guyler's notion, anyhow." "Well!" said Ayscough. "And there may be something in it! For this search--how do we know that at any rate one of these Chinamen mayn't have had some connection with this gang? You never know--and to get a dead straight line at a thing's almost impossible. However, we've taken steps to have the news about the diamond and about this Chen Li appear in tomorrow morning's papers, and if that doesn't rouse the whole town--" A tap at the door prefaced the entrance of a waiter, who looked apologetically at its inmates. "Beg pardon, gentlemen," he said, "Mr. Ayscough? Gentleman outside would like a word with you, if you please, sir." Ayscough picked up his hat and walked out--there, waiting a little way down the corridor, an impressive figure in his big black cloak and wide-brimmed hat, stood Dr. Mirandolet. He strode forward as the detective advanced. "I heard you were here, so I came up," he said, leading Ayscough away. "Look here, my friend--one of your people has told me of this affair at Molteno Lodge--the discovery of the Chinaman's dead body." "That young fellow, Rubinstein, who called on you early this evening, and got me to accompany him discovered it," said Ayscough, who was wondering what the doctor was after. "I was with him." "I have heard, too," continued Mirandolet, "also from one of your people, about the strange story of the diamond which came out this afternoon, from the owner's brother. Now--I'll tell you why after--I want to see that dead Chinaman! I've a particular reason. Will you come with me to the mortuary?" Ayscough's curiosity was aroused by Mirandolet's manner, and without going back to Purdie's room, he set out with him. Mirandolet remained strangely silent until they came to the street in which the mortuary stood. "A strange and mysterious matter this, my friend!" he said. "That little Rubinstein man might have had some curious premonition when he came to me tonight with his odd question about Chinese!" "Just what I said myself, doctor!" agreed Ayscough. "It did look as if he'd a sort of foreboding, eh? But--Hullo!"