"I have no idea. Some more mischief they're up to, I guess."
Again Keralio's voice was heard asking:
"Where is Handsome to-day? I told him to come. Why isn't he here?"
"He's drinking again, monsieur. When he's drunk you can't do anything with him. He's getting ugly about ze diamonds."
Steell nudged his fellow eavesdropper.
"Did you hear that?" he whispered. "He spoke of diamonds!"
Keralio was heard bursting into a peal of savage laughter.
"Getting ugly is he? What does he want?"
"He says you promised him half of ze proceeds when ze diamonds were sold, and that now you are trying to do him out of it—— He says he's sick of ze whole thing and will squeal to ze police unless you do ze right thing."
Straining every nerve to hear, Steell glued his ear to the door.