"I thought you said it was a secret apartment."
Wolfson made no reply; he felt that he was leaning on a broken reed, but he commenced to pull out the safe's numerous drawers, all of which contained cheap jewellery.
"Let me help you do that, Mr. Wolfson," Daiches said, and suited the action to the word by seizing the top drawer on the left-hand side of the safe. He jerked it clumsily from its frame without supporting the rear, and the next moment it fell heavily to the floor.
"Idiot!" Wolfson hissed, but simultaneously Daiches emitted a cry.
He pointed excitedly to the floor where the drawer lay upside down. A small velvet-lined tray extended from the rear of the drawer, while scattered on the floor beneath lay six unset diamonds that winked and sparkled in the half-light of the shuttered store.
Wolfson made a dart for the stones and had managed to tuck away three of them in his waistcoat pocket when Borrochson burst into the store and ran up to the safe.
"What's the matter?" he gasped.
Wolfson wiped his forehead before replying.
"Nothing's the matter," he croaked. "What for you come into the store? Ain't you agreed you shouldn't?"
"Where did them diamonds come from?" Borrochson demanded, pointing to the three gems on the dusty floor.