hscheimer had established his fortunes in South Africa; and, be it
whispered, there were points of contact between his own early history
and the history of the packet of diamonds which Hague carried to-night.
In both records there were I.D.B. chapters.

The two men stared at each other--and sometimes glanced into the shadows
of the corridor.

"He must be in league with the devil," continued Rohscheimer, "if he has
got to know about those stones! But it certainly looks as though----"

"Where can I hide them from _him_--from this man who I hear cannot be
kept out of anywhere?"

"Hague," said Rohscheimer, shakily, "you'd be safer at your hotel than
here. He's held people up in my house once before!"

As may be divined, Rohscheimer's chiefest fear was that _his_ name,
_his_ house, should be associated with another mysterious outrage. He
knew Baron Hague to have about his person stones worth a small fortune,
and he was all anxiety--first, to save them from Severac Bablon, the
common enemy; second, if Baron Hague _must_ be robbed, to arrange that
he be robbed somewhere else!

"I have not ordered my gar until twelve o'clock," said the Baron.

"Mine can be got ready in----"

"I won't wait! Gall me a gab!"

That proposal fell into line with Rohscheimer's personal views, and he
wasted not a moment in making the necessary arrangements.

The library door opening, and Adeler, his private secretary, appearing,
with a book under his arm, Mr. Rohscheimer called to him:

"Adeler!"

Adeler approached, deferentially. His pale, intellectual face was quite
expressionless.

"If you're goin' downstairs, Adeler, tell someone to call a cab for the
Baron: Heard nothing suspicious while you've been in the library, have
you?"

"Nothing," said Adeler--bowed, and departed.

The two plutocrats rejoined the guests. Sir Leopold Jesson was standing
in a corner engaged in an evidently interesting conversation with Salome
Hohsmann.

"You positively saw the hand?"

"Positively!" the girl assured him. "It just slipped the card into mine
as Mr. Sheard leaned over and asked me if my diamond aigrette had been
traced--the one that was stolen from me here, in this house, by Severac
Bablon."

Sheard was standing near.

"I saw you take the card, Miss Hohsmann!" he said; "though I was unable
to see from whose hand you took it. Sir Leopold sat on your left,
however, and there was no one else near at the time."

Sir Leopold Jesson stared ha