uffs. He lifted a
face white with rage and passion and glanced at Cox-Raythwaite and
Selwood.

"Liars!" he hissed between his teeth. "You gave me safe conduct! It was
understood that I was to come and go without interference, you hounds!"

"Not with me, nor I should think with anybody, my lad," exclaimed
Davidge, bustling forward. "Not likely! You forget that you're under
arrest for the old charge yet, and though you'll get off for that, you
won't go scot-free, my friend! I've got a second warrant for you, and
the charge'll be read to you when you get to the station. You'll clear
yourself of the charge of murder, but not of t'other charge, I'm
thinking!"

"Second warrant! Another charge!" growled Burchill. "What charge?"

"I should think you know as well as I do," replied Davidge quietly.
"You're a bigger fool than I take you for if you don't. Conspiracy, of
course! It's a good thing to have two strings to one's bow, Mr. Frank
Burchill, in dealing with birds like you. This is my second string. Take
him off," he added, motioning to his men, "and get him searched, and put
everything carefully aside for me--especially a cheque for ten thousand
pounds which you'll find in one of his pockets."

When the detectives had hurried Burchill into a taxi-cab which suddenly
sprang into useful proximity to the excited group, Davidge spat on the
ground and made a face. He motioned Cox-Raythwaite, Selwood, and the
two reporters to go down the street; he himself turned to Dimambro. What
he said to that highly-excited gentleman they did not hear, but the
Italian presently walked off looking very crestfallen, while Davidge,
joining them, looked highly pleased with himself.

"Of course, you'll stop payment of that cheque at the bank first thing
tomorrow, gentlemen," he said. "Though that'll only be for form's sake,
because I shall take charge of it when I go round to the police-station
presently--they'll have got Burchill searched when I get there. Of
course, I wasn't going to say anything up there, but Mrs. Engledew has
been in with us at this, and she took Burchill and Dimambro in as
beautifully as ever I saw it done in my life! Clever woman, that! We
knew about her diamonds, gentlemen, within a few hours of the discovery
of the murder, and of course, I thought Barthorpe had got them; I did,
mistaken though I was! I didn't want anybody to know about those
diamonds, though, and I kept it all dark until these fellows came on the
scen