alive. That is the first fact you have to find out. The next is, where
he is now residing. Then you will have to ascertain whether he has the
diamond still in his possession, and if so, by what means it can be
recovered. Only recover it for me--I ask not how or by what means--only
put into my hands the diamond that was stolen off my son's breast as he
lay dead; and the day you do that, my good Madgin, I will present you
with a cheque for five thousand pounds!"

Mr. Madgin sat as one astounded; the power of reply seemed taken from
him.

"Go, now," said Lady Chillington, after a few moments. "Ordinary
business is out of the question to-day. Go home and carefully digest
what I have just said to you. That you are a man of resources, I know
well; had you not been so, I would not have employed you in this
matter. Come to me to-morrow, next day, next week--when you like; only
don't come barren of ideas; don't come without a plan, likely or
unlikely, of some sort of a campaign."

Mr. Madgin rose and swept his papers mechanically into his bag. "Your
ladyship said five thousand pounds, if I mistake not?" he stammered out.

"A cheque for five thousand pounds shall be yours on the day you bring
me the diamond. Is not my word sufficient, or do you wish to have it
under bond and seal?" she asked with some hauteur.

"Your ladyship's word is an all-sufficient bond," answered Mr. Madgin,
with sweet humility. He paused, with the handle of the door in his hand.
"Supposing I were to see my way to carrying out your ladyship's wishes
in this respect," he said deferentially, "or even to carrying out a
portion of them only, still it could not be done without expense--not
without considerable expense, maybe."

"I give you carte-blanche as regards expenses," said her ladyship with
decision.

Then Mr. Madgin gave a farewell duck of the head and went. He took his
way homeward through the park like a man walking in his sleep. With
wide-open eyes and hat well set on the back of his head, with his blue
bag in one hand and his umbrella under his arm, he trudged onward, even
after he had reached the busy streets of the little town, without seeing
anything or anyone. What he saw, he saw introspectively. On the one hand
glittered the tempting bait held out by Lady Chillington; on the other
loomed the dark problem that had to be solved before he could call the
golden apple his.

"The most arrant wild-goose chase that ever I heard of in all my li