The Orange-Yellow DiamondFletcher, J. S. (Joseph Smith)
General
The Orange-Yellow Diamond
Fletcher, J. S. (Joseph Smith)
Detective and mystery stories; Diamonds -- Fiction; London (England) -- Fiction
"Make terms with him!" he muttered. "Case of have to, I reckon!"
Levendale turned once more to the Japanese, who smiled on him.
"Look you here, Mr. Yada," said Levendale, "I don't know who you are
beyond what I'm told--your card tells me nothing except that you
live--lodge, I suppose--in Gower Street. You've got mixed up in this,
somehow, and you've got knowledge to dispose of. Now, I don't buy
unless I know first what it is I'm buying. So--let's know what you've
got to sell?"
Yada swept the room with a glance.
"Before these gentlemen?" he asked. "In open market, eh?"
"They're all either police, or detectives, or concerned," retorted
Levendale. "There's no secret. I repeat--what have you got to sell?
Specify it!"
Yada lifted his hands and began to check off points on the tips of his
fingers.
"Three items, then, Mr. Levendale," he replied cheerfully. "First--the
knowledge of who has got the diamond and the money. Second--the
knowledge of where he is at this moment, and will be for some hours.
Third--the knowledge of how you can successfully take him and recover
your property. Three good, saleable items, I think--yes?"
Purdie watched carefully for some sign of greed or avarice in the
informer's wily countenance. To his surprise, he saw none. Instead,
Yada assumed an almost sanctimonious air. He seemed to consider
matters--though his answer was speedy.
"I don't want to profit--unduly--by this affair," he said. "At the same
time, from all I've heard, I'm rendering you and your friend a very
important service, and I think it only fair that I should be
remunerated. Give me something towards the expenses of my medical
education, Mr. Levendale: give me five hundred pounds."
With the briefest exchange of glances with Stephen Purvis, Levendale
pulled out a cheque-book, dashed off a cash cheque, and handed it over
to the Japanese, who slipped it into his waistcoat pocket.
"Now--your information!" said Levendale.
"To be sure," replied Yada. "Very well. Chang Li has the diamond and
the money. And he is at this moment where he has been for some days, in
hiding. He is in a secret room at a place called Pilmansey's Tea Rooms,
in Tottenham Court Road--a place much frequented by medical students
from our college. The fact of the case is, Mr. Policeman, and the rest
of you generally, there is a secret opium den at Pilmansey's, though
nobody knows of it but a few frequenters. And there!--there you will
find Chang Li."
"You've seen him there?" demanded Levendale.
"I saw him there during last night--I know him to be there--he will be
there, either until you take him, or until his arrangements are made
for getting out of this country," answered Yada.
Levendale jumped up, as if for instant action. But the Inspector
quietly tapped him on the elbow.
"He promised to tell you how to take him, Mr. Levendale," he said.
"Let's know all we can--we shall have to be in with you on this, you
know."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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