"A very admirable sentiment," the poet murmured.
"To put this matter upon a business basis, Mr. Grimm," Captain Brinnen continued, "supposing I supply you with a certain quantity of diamonds, will you guarantee to have them cut as so to render them unrecognisable, dispose of them, hand me two-thirds of the proceeds and retain a third yourself?"
"I have worked before upon those terms," Harvey Grimm replied. "I accept them. There is one little matter, though, to be cleared up."
Captain Brinnen smiled grimly.
"I fancy that I follow you," he observed. "You refer to the mysterious disappearance of a diamond from your friend's office?"
Harvey Grimm coughed.
"Bearing in mind, as I took the liberty of pointing out a few minutes ago, that its disappearance saved you from considerable inconvenience——" he began.
"The affair is finished," Brinnen interrupted. "Carry out faithfully the other transactions which we may arrange, and we will adopt—shall I say a resigned attitude?—with regard to that incident. When are you prepared to deal with the first parcel of stones?"
"At any moment," Harvey Grimm promised. "You will bring them to me?"
The girl, who had been listening eagerly to their conversation, leaned across the table.