Viner glanced at
Mr. Pawle. And Mr. Pawle fastened his eyes on his latest caller.
"Mr. Ashton was carrying a big diamond about in his pocketbook?" he said.
"Ah--have you seen it?"
"Several times I see it," replied Mr. Van Hoeren. "My trade, don't it?
Others of us--we see it too."
"He wanted to sell it?" suggested Mr. Pawle.
"There ain't so many people could afford to buy it," said Mr. Van Hoeren.
"Why!" exclaimed Mr. Pawle. "Was it so valuable, then?"
The diamond merchant shrugged his shoulders and waved the gold-mounted
umbrella which he was carefully nursing in his tightly-gloved hands.
"Oh, well!" he answered. "Fifty or sixty thousand pounds it was
worth--yes!"
CHAPTER XII
THE GREY MARE INN
The three men who heard this announcement were conscious that at this
point the Ashton case entered upon an entirely new phase. Armitstead's
mind was swept clean away from the episode in Paris, Viner's from the
revelations at Marketstoke, Mr. Pawle suddenly realized that here, at
last, was something material and tangible which opened out all sorts of
possibilities. And he voiced the thoughts of his two companions as he
turned in amazement on the fat little man who sat complacently nursing
his umbrella.
Pages:
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145