"Just so," said Zillah. "There are two friends of ours making enquiries on Mr. Lauriston's behalf at this moment. One of them's my cousin, Mr. Rubinstein; the other's Mr. Purdie, an old friend of Mr. Lauriston's. I've an idea where'll they'll be, just now--do you mind if I telephone them to come here, at once, so that they can hear what you have to tell us?" "Not in the least!" assented the American heartily. "I'll be glad to help in any way I can--I'm interested. Here!--there's a telephone box right there--you go in now, and call those fellows up and tell 'em to come right along, quick!" He and Lauriston waited while Zillah went into the telephone box: she felt sure that Melky and Purdie would have returned to Praed Street by that time, and she rang up Mrs. Goldmark at the Pawnshop to enquire. Within a minute or two she had rejoined Lauriston and the American--during her absence the stranger had been speaking to a waiter, and he now led his two guests to a private sitting-room. "We'll be more private in this apartment," he observed. "No fear of interruption or being overheard. I've told the waiter man there's two gentlemen coming along, and they're to be brought in here as soon as they land. Will they be long?" "They'll be here within twenty minutes," answered Zillah. "It's very kind of you to take so much trouble!" The American drew an easy chair to the fire, and pointed Zillah to it. "Well," he remarked, "I guess that in a fix of this sort, you can't take too much trouble! I'm interested in this case--and a good deal more than interested now that you tell me about these platinum studs. I reckon I can throw some light on that, anyway! But we'll keep it till your friends come. And I haven't introduced myself--my name's Stuyvesant Guyler. I'm a New York man--but I've knocked around some--pretty considerable, in fact. Say!--have you got any idea that this mystery of yours is at all connected with South Africa? And--incidentally--with diamonds?" Zillah started and glanced at Lauriston. "What makes you think of South Africa--and of diamonds?" she asked. "Oh, well--but that comes into my tale," answered Guyler. "You'll see in due course. But--had it?" "I hadn't thought of diamonds, but I certainly had of South Africa," admitted Zillah. "Seems to be working in both directions," said Guyler, meditatively. "But you'll see that when I tell you what I know." Purdie and Melky Rubinstein entered the room within the twenty minutes which Zillah had predicted--full of wonder to find her and Lauriston in company with a total stranger. But Zillah explained matters in a few words, and forbade any questioning until Mr. Stuyvesant Guyler had told his story. "And before I get on to that," said Guyler, who had been quietly scrutinizing his two new visitors while Zillah explained the situation, "I'd just like to see that platinum solitaire that Mr. Rubinstein picked up--if he's got it about him?" Melky thrust a hand into a pocket.