Portland Place. I had barely time to promise Rachel
that I would return, and tell her everything
that had happened, before Mr. Bruff seized me
by the arm, and hurried me into a cab. The
boy with the ill-secured eyes, took his place on
the box by the driver, and the driver was
directed to go to Lombard-street.

"News from the bank?" I asked, as we started.
"News of Mr. Luker," said Mr. Bruff. " An
hour ago, he was seen to leave his house at
Lambeth, in a cab, accompanied by two men,
who were recognised by my men as police
officers in plain clothes.  If Mr. Luker's dread
of the Indians is at the bottom of this
precaution, the inference is plain enough. He is
going to take the Diamond out of the bank."

"And we are going to the bank to see what
comes of it?"

Yes— or to hear what has come of it, if it is
all over by this time. Did you notice my boy
—on the box, there?"

"I noticed his eyes!"

"Mr. Bruff laughed. " They call the poor little
wretch 'Gooseberry' at the office," he said. "I
employ him to go on errands—and I only wish
my clerks who have nick-named him, were as
thoroughly to be depended on as he is.
Gooseberry is one of the sharpest boys in London
Mr. Blake, in spite of his eyes."

It was twenty minutes to five, when we drew
up before the bank in Lombard-street. Gooseberry
looked longingly at his master, as he
opened the cab door.

"Do you want to come in too?" asked Mr
Bruff kindly. "'Come in then, and keep at my
heels till further orders. He's as quick as
lightning," pursued Mr. Bruff, addressing me
in a whisper. "Two words will do with
Gooseberry, where twenty would be wanted
with another boy."

We entered the bank. The outer office—
with the long counter, behind which the cashiers
sat— was crowded with people; all waiting their
turn to take money out, or to pay money in,
before the bank closed at five o'clock.

Two men among the crowd approached Mr.
Bruff, as soon as he showed himself.

"Well," asked the lawyer. " Have you seen
him?"

He passed us here half an hour since, sir,
and went on into the inner office."

"Has he not come out again yet?"

"No, sir."

Mr. Bruff turned to me. "Let us wait," he
said.

I looked round among the people about me
for the three Indians. Not a sign of them was
to be seen anywhere. The only person present
"with a noticeably dark complexion was a tall
man in a pilot coat, and a round hat, who
looked like a sailor. Could this be one of them
in disguise? Impossible! The man was taller
than any of the Indians; and his face, where it
was not hidden by a bushy black beard, was
twice the breadth of any of their faces at least.

"They must have their spy somewhere," said
Mr. Bruff, looking at the dark sailor in his turn.
And he may be the man."

Before he could say any more, his coat tail
was respectfully pulled by his attendant sprite
with the gooseberry eyes. Mr. Bruff looked
where the boy was looking. " Hush!" he said.

"Here is Mr. Luker!"

The money-lender came out from the inner
regions of the bunk, followed by his two
guarian policemen in plain clothes.

"Keep your eye on him," whispered Mr.
Bruff. " If he passes the Diamond to
anybody, he will pass it here."

Without noticing either of us, Mr. Luker
slowly made his way to the door—now in the
thickest, now in the thinnest part of the crowd.
I distinctly saw his hand move, as he passed a
short, stout man, respectably dressed in a suit
of sober grey. The man started a little, and
looked after him. Mr. Luker moved on slowly
through the crowd. At the door, his guard
placed themselves on either side of him. They
were all three followed by one of Mr. Bruff's
two men—and I saw them no more.

I looked round at the lawyer, and then
looked significantly towards the man in the suit
of sober grey. "Yes!" whispered Mr. Bruff,
" I saw it too!" He turned about, in search of
his second man. The second man was nowhere
to be seen. He looked behind him for his
attendant sprite. Gooseberry had disappeared.
"What the devil does it mean!" said Mr.
Bruff angrily. "They have both left us at the
very time when we want them most."

It came to the turn of the man in the grey
suit to transact his business at the counter.
He paid in a cheque— received a receipt tor
it and turned to go out.

"What is to be done?" asked Mr. Bruff.
"We can't degrade ourselves by following
him."

"/ can!" I said. " I wouldn't lose sight ot
that man for ten thousand pounds!"

"In that case," rejoined Mr. Bruff, I
wouldn't lose sight of you, for twice the money.
A nice occupation for a man in my position,"
he muttered to himself, as we followed the
stranger out of the bank. "For Heaven's
sake, don't mention it! I should be ruined it it
was known."

The man in the grey suit got into an omnibus
going westward. We got in after him. There
were latent reserves of youth still left in Mr.
Bruff. I assert it positively— when he took his
seat in the omnibus, he blushed!

The man with the grey suit stopped the omnibus,
and got out in Oxford Street. We followed
him again. He went into a chemist's
shop.

Mr Bruff started. " My chemist!" he
exclaimed. " I am afraid we have made a
mistake."

We entered the shop. Mr. Bruff and the
proprietor exchanged a few words in private.
The lawyer joined me again, with a very
crestfallen face.

"It's greatly to our credit,"he said, as he