ure that all was right, I and a sergeant who looked in a
little later, went upstairs and tried the door of the ante-room. This
was locked and everything was quiet within, so we returned to the hall,
and the night was passed in the usual manner. Hussein always made his
appearance about eight o'clock in the morning, when he came down to
procure coffee for his Excellency and the others. As he did not show up
I wondered what had become of him. When nine o'clock came, I determined
to investigate matters. By that time the diamond cutters had put in an
appearance, and were gathered in the hall, undergoing a slight search
preparatory to their day's work."

"How many of these men were there?" broke in Brett.

"Fourteen exactly. They were mostly Dutchmen, with, I think three
Belgians. Taking a constable with me, I went upstairs, and ascended to
the second storey, where I knew his Excellency's suite was situated, and
where I expected to find Hussein asleep on a mat in front of the bedroom
door. The mat was there, but no Hussein. Then I went higher up to the
rooms occupied by the two assistants. I knocked, but received no answer.
One door was locked; the other was open, so I went in, but the room was
empty, and the bed had not been slept upon. This seemed so strange that
I knocked loudly at the other door, with no result. I returned to his
Excellency's floor and hammered at the door, which was locked,
sufficiently to wake the soundest sleeper that ever lived. This again
was useless, so I returned downstairs and sent off two messengers post
haste--one to Mr. Talbot, and the other to the Commissioner of Police at
Scotland Yard. The man who went to Mr. Talbot's house returned first,
bringing the startling information that Mr. Talbot had not been home all
night, and that his uncle and sister were anxious to know where he was,
as they had received no message from him since he quitted the house the
previous night at 10.15. The Commissioner of Police came himself a
little later. By that time Inspector Walters had reached here for his
turn of day duty, and after a hasty consultation we decided to break in
all the doors that were locked, commencing with that of the second
assistant. His room was empty, and so was his Excellency's, neither
apartment having been occupied during the night. We then returned to the
first floor and forced the door of the ante-room, which, we discovered,
was only secured by a spring latch, the lower lock not havin