"Risk!" exclaimed Claude, greatly surprised.
Ha begged his father to remember the huge dividends recently declared on Fontaine & Company's stock.
"I didn't say financial risk. There's a tremendous legal risk."
Mr. Fontaine felt that the time had come for Claude to learn more of the technique of a big business in jewelry and the fine arts. He pointed out that the war had caused a substantial reduction in the demand for luxuries accompanied by a substantial increase in the tax upon them. And he asked his son if he had never wondered why, in the face of this handicap, the firm's post-war profits had exceeded the records of pre-war years.
"Yes, it did puzzle me," admitted Claude. "But there's so much wizardry in your management of the business—"
"No wizardry at all. One or two of the biggest firms land their prizes without the Customs House being a penny the wiser."
Claude made a wild movement to rise, but fell back in his chair again.
"Then that blackguard was right," he cried, his face ashen.
"What on earth do you mean? What blackguard?"
"Hutchins Burley! He called me a diamond smuggler right out before everybody at the Outlaws' Ball."