d to
the office, the superintendent's men following them, and, without doing
anything to excite attention, forming a guard at the door.

"There's nothing here," said the superintendent in a low tone to
Ingleborough and West.

"How do you know?" said the former.

"By his manner. He's all brag and bounce!"

"Yes," said Ingleborough; "but you don't know your man."

"Look here!" cried Anson; "none of that! Search if you like, but no
plotting and planning there! I don't see why they shouldn't be charged
too. Search their desks as well as mine. Perhaps you'll find some
illicit-diamonds there."

West started, for a strange suspicion shot through his breast.

"If you do they'll swear I put 'em there, and the superintendent will
believe them."

"You scoundrel!" cried West passionately, and Anson uttered a low
sneering laugh; but his face grew set directly, as the officer turned
upon him.

"Which is your desk, sir?" he said sharply.

"Search them all!" was the reply.

"Which is his desk?" said the superintendent to West now.

The young man made no reply, and Ingleborough pointed it out.

"Friends and brother-workers!" said Anson, in a sneering manner. "Look
here, noble employers, play fair! Let's have all the desks and the
whole place searched."

No one spoke, and after a cursory examination of the tall stool in front
of the desk the officer picked up a thick silver-mounted rattan cane
thrust in a stand by the side of the desk in company with three
umbrellas.

"Yours?" he said, turning to the suspect.

"Yes, and one of the umbrellas too. The worst one's mine. That dandy
silk one is West's. The handles of all three are sure to unscrew and
are hollowed out to hold diamonds, no doubt."

"Of course," said the officer, and after a glance at the umbrellas he
turned the thick heavy cane over in his hands, noticing that in addition
to a silver cap there was a thick silver ring about six inches from the
top.

"Oh yes, that's hollow too," cried Anson mockingly, "and stuffed full of
diamonds, I daresay.--Ah! mind you don't cut your fingers!"

For the officer, as he held the thick cane in both hands, tried to
unscrew the top part, thickest by the ring, and, after yielding a
little, he gave it a sharp tug, drawing out about a foot of a bright
blue damascened sword, and then thrusting it back with an impatient
"Pish!"

"A sword-stick," said the officer.

"Well, why not?" cried Anson. "I don't carry a rev