"The diamonds are all right?" asked the pawnbroker, rather nervously.
"Quite right. I see the man has been here. I don't want to know anything about the jewels: they're his own, and it's not them we're after. I want to know about him. He's been here, I see—the question is, what time?"
"Not above half an hour ago. A man in a dark blue coat with a fur collar——"
"Yes; a man that walks lame."
The pawnbroker shook his head.
"I didn't see that he was lame," he said.
"Ah, you didn't notice; or he might hide it just while he was in here. He sat down, I suppose?"
"Yes; he was sitting all the time."
"Of course. Thank you; that'll do."
With this Mr. Carter departed, much to the relief of the money-lender.