had commenced proceedings on No. 26,
Phillimore Terrace, and had then gone on, probably climbing over the
garden walls between the houses to No. 22, where he was almost caught in
the act by Robertson. The facts were simple enough, but the mystery
remained as to the individual who had managed to glean the information
of the presence of the diamonds in both the houses, and the means which
he had adopted to get that information. It was obvious that the thief or
thieves knew more about Mr. Knopf's affairs than Mr. Shipman's, since
they had known how to use Mr. Emile Knopf's name in order to get his
brother out of the way.

"It was now nearly ten o'clock, and the detectives, having taken leave
of Mr. Shipman, went back to No. 22, in order to ascertain whether Mr.
Knopf had come back; the door was opened by the old charwoman, who said
that her master had returned, and was having some breakfast in the
dining-room.

"Mr. Ferdinand Knopf was a middle-aged man, with sallow complexion,
black hair and beard, of obviously Hebrew extraction. He spoke with a
marked foreign accent, but very courteously, to the two officials, who,
he begged, would excuse him if he went on with his breakfast.

"'I was fully prepared to hear the bad news,' he explained, 'which my
man Robertson told me when I arrived. The letter I got last night was a
bogus one; there is no such person as J. Collins, M.D. My brother had
never felt better in his life. You will, I am sure, very soon trace the
cunning writer of that epistle--ah! but I was in a rage, I can tell
you, when I got to the Metropole at Brighton, and found that Emile, my
brother, had never heard of any Doctor Collins.

"'The last train to town had gone, although I raced back to the station
as hard as I could. Poor old Robertson, he has a terrible cold. Ah yes!
my loss! it is for me a very serious one; if I had not made that lucky
bargain with Mr. Shipman last night I should, perhaps, at this moment be
a ruined man.

"'The stones I had yesterday were, firstly, some magnificent Brazilians;
these I sold to Mr. Shipman mostly. Then I had some very good Cape
diamonds--all gone; and some quite special Parisians, of wonderful work
and finish, entrusted to me for sale by a great French house. I tell
you, sir, my loss will be nearly L10,000 altogether. I sell on
commission, and, of course, have to make good the loss.'

"He was evidently trying to bear up manfully, and as a business man
should, under hi