ore the storm shall break. He
has first sent me in to see the diamonds, as I know just what he wants.
If I think well of them, I am to return to the carriage and bring him in
to see them."

"Oh, that's it, eh?" cried Venner, with unabated misgivings.

"Am I to see the stones?" demanded Nick. "Pandu Singe will not care to
wait long."

"Yes, yes," replied Venner, as perplexed as Dalton by Nick's unexpected
move. "Come out this way, where I have them ready to show you."

Nick bowed and followed him through the hall, and a glance into the two
front rooms, both of which were well lighted, told him they were vacant.

Nick knew that he was entering a trap, however, and possibly carried
his life in his hand. Yet he had several shrewd designs in the plan of
operations adopted.

He aimed to prevent both Chick and himself being cornered, and possibly
caught at the same time. Not wishing to evade this gang, and thus reveal
his own knowledge and suspicions, he designed to leave Chick free to act
in case of his own downfall.

Nick knew that he alone could force Venner and the gang to show their
hands, even if it resulted in his own capture. He rather invited the
latter, in fact, for he knew that the gang would see the need of
instantly removing him from Venner's house, at least until they could
lay hands upon Chick. In this case Nick believed that they might be
compelled to confine him at their diamond plant, the location of which
he thus hoped to discover.

For these reasons Nick was coolly taking very long chances, at the same
time leaving Chick free to quickly get in his work, in case he himself
went down at the outset.

Yet there was not a sign of any person save Venner, as Nick followed him
through the hall and into a side room near the rear of the house,
evidently a dining room.

Nick sized it up with a glance. Electric chandelier; two doors, one by
which he had entered from the hall, and the other leading into a dark
kitchen; two windows, with the curtains closely drawn; several chairs, a
handsome sideboard, and in the middle of the room a large, square table,
covered with a rich damask cloth hanging nearly to the floor.

Upon the table was also spread a piece of black velvet, on which was
displayed nearly a score of blazing diamonds--the most magnificent
artificial stones ever born of man's restless genius.

Nick rightly guessed their true character, yet he allowed an ejaculation
of admiration to escape him.