constable on duty at the bottom. It may
be admitted that a few small stones could be so secreted as to escape
observation, but some of these stones were so large that such a notion
is not to be thought of, whilst the size of the great diamond which Mr.
Talbot christened the 'Hen's Egg' rendered its transference past the
searchers beneath absolutely impossible. There was no humbug about the
search, you will understand, Mr. Brett. People had to take their boots
off, open their mouths, and hand over their hats, coats, sticks, or
umbrellas for inspection. Every part of their clothing was scrutinised,
and the contents of their pockets, money, watches, keys, and the rest,
thoroughly examined. These were our orders, and they were strictly
obeyed, Mr. Talbot himself being the first to insist that the regulation
should be carried out rigidly, so far as he was concerned. Why, one day
a Cabinet Minister came here to see the diamonds. He was elderly and
stout, and did not at all like having to take off his boots, I can
assure you, as he nearly got apoplexy whilst lacing them up again."

During the inspector's running comments Brett had carefully scrutinised
each of the windows. He at once came to the conclusion, by a simple
analysis of the possibilities, that by no other means than through the
barrier of iron wire had the diamonds passed out of the house; but the
most thorough examination failed to reveal any loophole by which this
achievement had been accomplished. He opened each of the windows, tested
every iron bar, and saw that the fastenings of the external blind were
undisturbed, whilst the fine wire mesh showed no irregularities in its
hexagonal pattern wherein any defect would at once be visible.

"We have done all that long since, sir," said the second police officer,
smiling at the obviousness of an amateur's method of inspection, for it
happened that he had never met the barrister before, though he had often
heard of him.

"You have?" said Brett, with the slightest tinge of sarcasm in his
voice. "Did you do this?" and he commenced to thump with a clenched fist
upon every portion of the external screen that he could reach.

"No, we did not," said the policeman, "and I don't see that it is going
to accomplish anything except hurt your hand."

"That may be so," murmured Brett; "but the diamonds went this way and
none other."

He tested every portion of one window screen in this manner without
effect. Then he approache