rrel between Sartoris
and Stephen Richford. Evidently I am going to learn something."

CHAPTER XXIV

Every word of the conversation was quite plain and distinct. Richford
seemed to be very vexed about something, but on the other hand Sartoris
appeared to be on the best of terms with himself.

"You tried to get the better of us," he was saying. "You thought that
clever people like ourselves were going to be mere puppets in the play,
that we were going to pull your chestnuts for you. You with the brains
of a rabbit, and the intelligence of a tom cat! That low cunning of
yours is all very well in the City, but it is of no use with me. Where
are those diamonds?"

"Those diamonds are so safe that we can't touch them," Richford sneered.

"Very well, my friend. Believe me, we shall know how to act when the
time comes. But you are wasting time here. You should be in Edward
Street long ago. Edward Street in the Borough; you know the place I
mean. The others are there, Reggie and Cora and the rest, to say nothing
of the object of our solicitous desires. You follow me?"

"Oh, yes, I follow everything, confound you," Richford growled. "You are
trying to frighten me with your cry of danger. As if I was fool enough
to believe that story."

"You can just please yourself whether you believe it or not," Sartoris
replied. "But the danger is real enough. I have had the salt two days
now in succession. It is true that it came by post and was not addressed
to me here, but it is proof positive of the fact that our yellow friends
are on the right track at last. They may even be outside now. That is
why I want you to go as far as Edward Street without delay."

Richford seemed to be convinced at last, for he made no reply.

"And you need not worry about your wife for the present," Sartoris went
on. "So long as she _is_ your wife you come in for your share of the
plunder when the division takes place. Nor need you let her know that
you married her for her fortune, and not for her pretty face. People
will be surprised to discover what a rich man Sir Charles really was."

Berrington started with surprise. A great flood of light had been let in
on the scene in the last few words of this overheard conversation. So
there was a large fortune somewhere, and this was at the bottom of this
dark conspiracy. The conversation trailed off presently, and Berrington
heard no more. But his heart was beating now with fierce exultation, for
he