"What did you leave England for?" he asked suddenly.
"What's past is past," I said scowling.
"Sure," he said hastily. "I don't want to pry into your affairs."
He changed the subject, but I could see him still chewing over the same
idea, whatever it was.
We were sitting as usual at one of the little tables down the side of
the bar-room. Jumbo excused himself for a few minutes. When he came
back he talked about one thing and another, but it was manifestly to
gain time. He glanced at the door from time to time. I wondered what
was saving for me.
At about ten o'clock, a man came into the place alone, and went to the
bar without, apparently, looking at us.
"Why there's Foxy!" cried Jumbo in great surprise.
He hailed his friend, and had him join us at our table. They overdid
the casual meeting a little. I began to suspect that Jumbo had
telephoned this man to come and join us, and I waited with no little
curiosity to see what would come of it.
The newcomer was a man of Jumbo's age, but looking much younger because
he was slender and well built. He was one of the plainest men I have
ever seen but not in the sense of being repulsive, just plain. He was
a blonde with ashy, colourless hair, and features of the "hatchet"
type, that is to say sharp nose, narrow, retreating forehead, with the
hair beginning some distance back. "Foxy" didn't seem to fit him very
well, because he looked heavy-witted, stupid, but perhaps he can be
sharp enough when he wants. He had a dull, verbose style of talk, and
a conceited air like a third-rate actor.
Jumbo informed me with a scarcely concealed leer that Foxy was a "good
fellow," in other words a crook like ourselves. Verily, words come to
strange passes!
Presently we got to talking about diamonds again, and Jumbo in his
character of the broker, exhibited the two he had just obtained from
me. He did not, however, in my hearing say where he had got them. A
look at me was a sufficient hint to say nothing about our compact.
Presently I began to realise that Foxy in his heavier way was putting
me through a sharper examination than Jumbo's. My opinion of
hatchet-face's cleverness went up several points.
This man exhibited a considerable theoretical knowledge of diamonds as
of one who might have read up on the subject. For instance he knew the
characteristics, the weight and the ownership of the world-famous
stones. He had, however, nothing of the eye-to-eye knowledge of the
experienced jeweller.
I apparently passed his examination satisfactorily. He glanced at
Jumbo in a meaning way, and the latter said:
"Look ahere, English, you ought to be able to make a good thing on the
side by appraising diamonds."
My heart jumped at the possibilities this opened up. Was I about to
land the job of diamond expert to the gang? "The profession's
overcrowded," I said carelessly.
"I could put you in the way of a job occasionally," said Jumbo. "Some
fellows Foxy and me knows would be glad to pay for a little advice
about buying and selling stones."
I began to hope that the end of our labours might be in sight. The
next question dashed me a little.
"Have you ever heard of Mrs. ---- ----?" Foxy asked.*
* He named one of the most prominent society women in New York.--B.E.
Of course I had, she is one of my best customers. I shook my head.
He gave me some details of her history which would have astonished Cora
---- could she have heard them. "She has a fine string of sparklers,"
he remarked in conclusion.
"Has she?" I said innocently. I had sold them to her.
"She's at Newport now," said Foxy casually.
"Hell! what's the use of beating round the bush!" said Jumbo in his
hearty way. "Ain't we all friends together? It's worth a nice little
sum to you, English, if you can find out and report if it's the genuine
stones that she wears around town up there."
"But I can't leave my job," I objected.
"Sure, he can't leave his job," said Jumbo at once.
"He can go up on Saturday night's boat, and come back Sunday, can't
he?" said Foxy.
The matter was so arranged. I suppose I am in for it next Saturday.
Will you see that Mrs. ---- is warned in some manner?
In the meantime I am to be taken to see the "friends" that buy and sell
diamonds. Here's hoping that this may prove to be the grand
headquarters of the gang.
When we left the place, Jumbo excusing himself, pulled Foxy aside, and
held a brief, whispered consultation with him, which boded ill for
somebody. Their faces were distorted with anger. Foxy took the
west-bound cross-town car, and we walked over to the subway.
Jumbo anxious, I suppose, to make me feel that I had not been left out
of anything, said: "Me and Frank had a little trouble to-day. There's
a bull poking his nose into our private business."
Hoping to hear more, I heartily joined with him in consigning the whole
race of "bulls" to perdition.
"Oh, this is only an amateur-like," said Jumbo. "He's running a little
private graft of his own. He ain't dangerous. Me and Foxy's got it
fixed to trim him nicely."
This was all I could get. I mention it, thinking that it may be of
interest to you.
I suppose if either of my worthy friends ever suspected that I was not
a "good fellow," my life would not be worth a jack-straw. The same
menace lurks behind Jumbo's swimming pig-eyes, and Foxy's dull ones.
But I am enjoying the spice of danger. The only thing that irks me are
the tiresome hours at my work bench in Dunsany's. I'll be glad when
the game becomes livelier. This is life!