Nick entered the telephone booth and called up the American Express office. In a few moments he learned that the diamonds had arrived in New York the previous day at noon on an ocean liner, and that they had remained in charge of the company only an hour before the departure of the messenger. No one in the employ of the company, except the man who had paid the duty and the manager, knew of the valuable contents of the package.
While the detective was puzzling over the case, Chick entered and was soon in possession of its main features as known to his chief.
“Where were the diamonds shipped from?” he asked.
“Originally from Cape Town,” replied the young man, “but direct from Liverpool.”
Chick looked at his chief with a smile on his face.
“It is a pretty case, I imagine,” he said. “The gems must have been followed from Cape Town.”
“Well, in that case,” said young Maynard, “the man who did the following made quick work of it after they arrived in this country. Of course, the route to the hiding place of the murderer must be discovered by tracing the diamonds. Don’t you think so?” he added, turning to Nick.
“It will, I think, prove easier to find the murderer than the diamonds,” said Nick. “The gems may be passed on from hand to hand, or separated and scattered to the end of the world, while the murderer cannot halve his crime with any one.”
Nick ordered his automobile, and the three were soon on their way to the country house on the Hudson where the murder had been committed.
When they reached their destination they found a crowd of curious suburbanites gathered about the gate, which had been closed and locked by the sheriff.