session, and advised that it should
be taken straight over to Amsterdam, broken up, and the diamonds sold
singly to the merchants there."

"It is a curious story, Mr. Thorndyke. I own to ignorance of these
Indian thieves and their ways, but it certainly seems extraordinary that
so hopeless a quest should be kept up for so long a time. You are sure
that it is not fancy on your part that you have been watched? I know you
are not the sort of man to take fancies in your head, but as you have
had the matter so strongly impressed upon you, you might naturally have
been inclined to think this would be the case when it was not so."

"No, I don't think there is any chance of my being mistaken. It is only
of late that I have thought about it, but when I did so and thought over
what had passed since I came to London, I recalled the fact that I had
very often come across foreign seamen; sometimes they were Lascars, at
others they might have been Italian or Spanish seamen; and you see,
sir, it was, as I told you at the time, some foreign sailor who came
and informed Gibbons that I had fallen into the hands of a gang of
criminals, and that I should certainly be killed if I was not rescued
immediately. Gibbons at once got together half a dozen fighting men,
and, as you know, rescued me just in time. It was extraordinary that the
man never came forward to obtain any reward."

"That was a friendly act, Mr. Thorndyke."

"Yes, I have no reason to suppose that these men would be hostile to me
personally. I was not the thief, I was simply the person who happened to
be in possession, or rather, might come into possession of the bracelet.
From the close watch they had kept, they were, I imagine, well aware
that I had not got it, but may have thought, and doubtless did think,
that I had some clew to its hiding place, and should sooner or later
get it. With my death the clew might be finally lost, and my life was
consequently of extreme importance to them, and therefore they took
steps to have me rescued, and the fact that they learned this and knew
how friendly I was with Gibbons shows how close was the watch kept over
me. No doubt, had Gibbons refused to help them, they would have come
here at once."

"Certainly, after what you say it would seem that your conjecture is
right, and in this case, if I were you, I should take the bracelet out
of the case and conceal it about me. I would not fetch it myself from
the bank."

"I don't think I