theirs, too, were gifts.

Believe me, I had no intention of making a mystery of this. It
was necessary definitely to attract your attention, and I could
conceive of no more certain way than in this manner. In return
for the value of the jewels I shall ask that you and the four
others concerned give me an audience in your office on Thursday
afternoon next at three o'clock; that you make known this
request to the others; and that three experts whose judgment
you will all accept shall meet with us.

I believe you will appreciate the necessity of secrecy in this
matter, for the present at least. Respectfully,

E. VAN CORTLANDT WYNNE

They were on hand promptly, all of them--Mr. Latham, Mr. Schultze,
Mr. Solomon, Mr. Stoddard and Mr. Harris. The experts agreed upon
were the unemotional Mr. Czenki, Mr. Cawthorne, an Englishman in the
employ of Solomon, Berger and Company, and Mr. Schultze, who
gravely admitted that he was the first expert in the land, after Mr.
Czenki, and whose opinion of himself was unanimously accepted by the
others. The meeting place was the directors' room of the H. Latham
Company.

At one minute of three o'clock a clerk entered with a card, and
handed it to Mr. Latham.

"'Mr. E. van Cortlandt Wynne,'" Mr. Latham read aloud, and every man
in the room moved a little in his chair. Then: "Show him in here,
please."

"Now, gendlemens," observed Mr. Schultze sententiously, "ve shall zee
vat ve shall zee."

The clerk went out and a moment later Mr. Wynne appeared. He was
tall and rather slender, alert of eyes, graceful of person; perfectly
self-possessed and sure of himself, yet without one trace of egotism
in manner or appearance--a fair type of the brisk, courteous young
business man of New York. He wore a tweed suit, and in his left
hand carried a small sole-leather grip. For an instant he stood,
framed by the doorway, meeting the sharp scrutiny of the assembled
jewelers with a frank smile. For a little time no one spoke--merely
gazed--and finally:

"Mr. Latham?" queried Mr. Wynne, looking from one to the other.

Mr. Latham came to his feet with a sudden realization of his
responsibilities as a temporary host, and introductions followed. Mr.
Wynne passed along on one side of the table, shaking hands with each
man in turn until he came to Mr. Czenki. Mr. Latham introduced them.

"Mr. Czenki," repeated Mr. Wynne, and he allowed his eyes to rest