to the slightest sound or movement
elsewhere; and when Georgiades grunted from excess emotion, Quintana's
right hand held a pistol before the grunt had ceased.

It was a serious business, this division of loot; every reckless visage
reflected the strain of the situation.

Quintana, both pistols in his hands, looked down at the scintillating
heap of jewels.

"I estimate two and one quartaire million dollaires," he said simply.
"It has been agree that I accep' for me the erosite gem known as The
Flaming Jewel. In addition, messieurs, it has been agree that I accep'
for myse'f one part in five of the remainder."

A fierce silence reigned. Every wolfish eye was on the leader. He
smiled, rested his pair of pistols on either knee.

"Is there," he asked softly, "any gentleman who shall objec'?"

"Who,' demanded Georgiades hoarsely, "is to divide for us?"

"It is for such purpose," explained Quintana suavely, "that my frien',
Emanuel Sard, has arrive. Monsieur Sard is a brokaire of diamon's, as
all know ver' well. Therefore, it shall be our frien' Sard who will
divide for us what we have gain to-day by our -- industry."

The savage tension broke with a laugh at the word chosen by Quintana to
express their efforts of the morning.

Sard had been standing with one fat hand flat against the trunk of a
tree. Now, at a nod from Quintana, he squatted down, and, with the same
hand that had been resting against the tree, he spread out the pile of
jewels into a flat layer.

As he began to divide this into five parts, still using the flat of his
pudgy hand, something poked him lightly in the ribs. It was the muzzle
of one of Quintana's pistols.

Sard, ghastly pale, looked up. His palm, sticky with balsam gum,
quivered in Quintana's grasp.

"I was going to scrape it off," he gasped. "The tree was sticky----"

Quintana, with the muzzle of his pistol, detached half a dozen diamonds
and rubies that clung to the gum on Mr. Sard's palm.

"Wash!" he said drily.

Sard, sweating with fear, washed his right hand with whiskey from his
pocket-flask, and dried it for general inspection.

"My God," he protested tremulously, "it was accidental, gentlemen. Do
you think I'd try to get away with anything like that----"

Quintana coolly shoved him aside and with the barrel of his pistol he
pushed the flat pile of gems into five separate heaps. Only he and
Georgiades knew that a magnificent diamond had been lodged in the muzzle