Never mind him, Norton. It's all bluff. He is unarmed."

"Armed or unarmed," said the superintendent, "I'm going to search him,"
and directly after a quick pair of hands were busy going through the
suspect's pockets.

"Urrr!" he growled, showing his white teeth between his thick red lips,
as he cast off thoroughly the mask of servile humility he had previously
worn; "it's lucky for you that I am unarmed. But search away. Go on.
I'll have heavy damages for this dastardly assault and defamation of
character, and the public shall know all about the games carried on by
this beautiful diamond syndicate. Curse you all--masters and men! You
shall pay for it, and, as for you, John Ingleborough, look out for
yourself. Yes, and you too, Oliver West, you miserable sneak. I always
hated you."

"Hadn't you better save your breath, Anson?" said West quietly. "You're
only making everybody believe you guilty."

"Let 'em," cried the suspect, whose plump round face was now distorted
with impotent rage. "I'll be even with all of you for this."

"Humph! Nothing in his pockets; nothing sewn in the seams of his
clothes, nor in the band of his trousers," muttered the searcher. Then
aloud: "Now then, hold up!"

Anson behaved like a horse, or, as West and Ingleborough afterwards
laughingly said, like an ass, lifting to order each foot in turn for the
bottoms of his trousers to be examined and the heels of his boots, which
had not been bored nor plugged.

"He has nothing upon him, gentlemen," said the officer, at last.

"But you have not thoroughly searched him," said one of the directors,
frowning.

"Oh yes, sir," replied the officer; "a party like this wouldn't carry
diamonds about him same as a Kaffir would. He wouldn't play any tricks
with his person by slitting or swallowing: he knows too much about the
risks. You can be perfectly satisfied that he has nothing about him. I
was, as soon as I had turned out his pockets."

"They'll be satisfied before they've done," sneered Anson.

"I should like to see his desk and stool in the office where he has
worked, gentlemen," continued the officer.

"Yah!" snarled Anson. "Yes: go on; search everywhere. Perhaps you'd
like to search the place where I lodge?"

"Afterwards," said the officer quietly.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

ANSON REBOUNDS.

West saw his fellow-clerk wince slightly again, though it passed
unnoticed by the others, and directly after the whole party adjourne