for
three thousand guineas. This transaction being conducted, Mr. Herapath drew
from his pocket (the same pocket in which he had already placed the pearls,
which I understand, were wrapped up in a small bag or case of wash-leather)
the diamonds which Mrs. Engledew had entrusted to him, showed them to
Dimambro, and asked his opinion as to how they could best be reset. It
is not material to this explanation to repeat what Dimambro said on that
matter--suffice it to say that Dimambro gave an expert opinion, that Mr.
Herapath once more pocketed the diamonds, and soon afterwards left the
House of Commons for his estate offices with both lots of valuable stones
in his possession--some ten thousand pounds' worth in all. As for Dimambro,
he went home to the hotel at which he was stopping--a little place called
the Ravenna, in Soho, an Italian house--next morning, first thing, he
cashed his cheque, and before noon he left for the Continent. He had not
heard of the murder of Jacob Herapath when he left London, and he did not
hear of it until next day. I think I have given Mr. Dimambro's account
accurately--his account so far," concluded Burchill, turning to the
Italian. "If not, he will correct me."

"Quite right, quite right!" said Dimambro, who had listened eagerly. "I
do not hear of the murder, eh, until I am in Berlin--it is, yes, next
day--day after I leave London--that I hear of it, you understand? I then
see it in the newspaper--English news, eh?"

"Why did you not come back at once?" asked Cox-Raythwaite.

Dimambro spread out his hands.

"Oh, I have my business--very particular," he said. "Besides, it has
nothing to do with me, eh? I don't see no--no connection between me and
that--no! But in time, I do come back, and then--he tell you," he broke
off, pointing to Burchill. "He tell you better, see?"

"I am taking everything in order," said Burchill. "And for the present I
have done with Mr. Dimambro. Now I come to myself. I shall have to go
into details about myself which I should not give if it were not for
these exceptional circumstances. Mr. Davidge, I am sure, will understand
me. Well, about myself--you will all remember that at both the coroner's
inquest and at the proceedings before the magistrate at which Barthorpe
Herapath was present and I--for reasons well known!--was not, there was
mention made of a letter which I had written to Jacob Herapath and was
subsequently found in Barthorpe's possession, on his ar