acles
as came across him in his former life. Now he encountered a great
barrier which could not be passed so easily, and he raged and chafed
before it. It made him still more wroth to think that the fault was
none of his. All his life he had reckoned, as a matter of course, that
when his father passed away he would be left almost a millionaire. A
single half-hour's conversation had shattered this delusion and left him
face to face with ruin. He lost his sleep and became restless and
hollow-eyed. Once or twice he was seen the worse for drink in the
daytime.

He was a man of strong character, however, and though somewhat
demoralized by the sudden shock, he threw away no point in the game
which he and his father were playing. He saw clearly that only a bold
stroke could save them. He therefore threw himself heart and soul into
the diamond scheme, and worked out the details in a masterly manner.
The more he looked into it the more convinced he became, not only of its
feasibility, but of its absolute safety. It seemed as though it were
hardly possible that it should fail.

Among other things he proceeded to qualify himself as a dealer in
diamonds. It happened that he was acquainted with one of the partners
of the firm of Fugger & Stoltz, who did the largest import trade in
precious stones. Through his kindness he received practical
instructions in the variety and value of diamonds, and learned to detect
all those little flaws and peculiarities which are only visible to the
eye of an expert, and yet are of the highest importance in determinating
the price of a stone. With such opportunities Ezra made rapid progress,
and within a few weeks there were not many dealers in the trade who had
a better grasp of the subject.

Both the Girdlestones recognized that the success of their plan depended
very largely upon their choice of an agent, and both were of the opinion
that in Major Tobias Clutterbuck they had just the man that they were in
want of. The younger merchant had long felt vaguely that the major's
social position, combined with his impecuniosity and the looseness of
his morality, as inferred from his mode of life, might some day make him
a valuable agent under delicate circumstances. As to the old soldier's
own inclinations, Ezra flattered himself that he knew the man's nature
to a nicety. It was simply a question of the price to be paid. No
doubt the figure would be substantial, but he recognized with a