The Diamond Master | Page 3

bezel
facets are mathematically correct to the minutest fraction--thirty-three,
including the table. The facets on the collet side are equally
exact--twenty-five, including the collet, or fifty-eight facets in all. As I
said, the color is flawless. In other words," he continued without
hesitation, "I should say, speaking as an expert, that it is the most
perfect diamond existing in the world to-day."
Mr. Latham had been staring at him mutely, and he still sat silent for an
instant after Mr. Czenki had finished.
"And its value?" he asked at last.
"Its value!" Mr. Czenki repeated musingly. "You know, Mr. Latham,"
he went on suddenly, "there are a hundred experts, commissioned by
royalty, scouring the diamond markets of the world for such stones as
this. So, if you are looking for a sale and a price, by all means offer it
abroad first." He lifted the sparkling, iridescent jewel from the box
again, and gazed at it reflectively. "There is not one stone belonging to
the British crown, for instance, which would in any way compare with
this."
"Not even the Koh-i-noor?" Mr. Latham demanded, surprised.
Mr. Czenki shook his head.
"Not even the Koh-i-noor. It is larger, that's all--a fraction more than
one hundred and six carats, but it has neither the coloring nor the
cutting of this." There was a pause. "Would it be impertinent if I ask
who owns this?"
"I don't know," replied Mr. Latham slowly. "I don't know; but it isn't
ours. Perhaps later I'll be able to--"
"I beg your pardon," the expert interrupted courteously, and there was a
slight expression of surprise on his thin scarred face. "Is that all?"
Mr. Latham nodded absently and Mr. Czenki left the room.

CHAPTER II
TWEEDLEDUM AND TWEEDLEDEE
A little while later, when Mr. Latham started out to luncheon, he thrust
the white glazed box into an inside pocket. It had occurred to him that
Schultze--Gustave Schultze, the greatest importer of precious stones in
America--was usually at the club where he had luncheon, and--
He found Mr. Schultze, a huge blond German, sitting at a table in an
alcove, alone, gazing out upon Fifth Avenue in deep abstraction, with
perplexed wrinkles about his blue eyes. The German glanced around at
Latham quickly as he proceeded to draw out a chair on the opposite
side of the table.
"Sid down, Laadham, sid down," he invited explosively. "I haf yust
send der vaiter to der delephone to ask--"
There was a restrained note of excitement in the German's voice, but at
the moment it was utterly lost upon Mr. Latham.
"Schultze, you've probably imported more diamonds in the last ten
years than any other half-dozen men in the United States," he
interrupted. "I have something here I want you to see. Perhaps, at some
time, it may have passed through your hands."
He placed the glazed box on the table. For an instant the German stared
at it with amazed eyes, then one fat hand darted toward it, and he
spilled the diamond out on the napkin in his plate. Then he sat gazing
as if fascinated by the lambent, darting flashes deep from the
blue-white heart.
"Mein Gott, Laadham!" he exclaimed, and with fingers which shook a
little he lifted the stone and squinted through it toward the light, with
critical eyes. Mr. Latham was leaning forward on the table, waiting,
watching, listening.
"Well?" he queried impatiently, at last.

"Laadham, id is der miracle!" Mr. Schultze explained solemnly, with
his characteristic, whimsical philosophy. "I haf der dupligade of id,
Laadham--der dwin, der liddle brudder. Zee here!"
From an inner pocket he produced a glazed white box, identical with
that which Mr. Latham had just set down, then carefully laid the cover
aside.
"Look, Laadham, look!"
Mr. Latham looked--and gasped! Here was the counterpart of the
mysterious diamond which still lay in Mr. Schultze's outstretched palm.
"Dey are dwins, Laadham," remarked the German quaintly, finally. "Id
came by der mail in dis morning--yust like das, wrapped in paper, but
mit no marks, no name, no noddings. Id yust came!"
With his right hand Mr. Latham lifted the duplicate diamond from its
cotton bed, and with his left took the other from the German's hand.
Then, side by side, he examined them; color, cutting, diameter, depth,
all seemed to be the same.
"Dwins, I dell you," repeated Mr. Schultze stolidly. "Dweedledum und
Dweedledee, born of der same mudder und fadder. Laadham, id iss der
miracle! Dey are der most beaudiful der world in--yust der pair of
dem."
"Have you made," Mr. Latham began, and there was an odd, uncertain
note in his voice--"Have you made an expert examination?"
"I haf. I measure him, der deepness, der cudding, der facets, und id iss
perfect. Und I take my own judgment of a diamond,