The Duchess of Wiltshires Diamonds | Page 8

lord may
get at whatever lies concealed beneath, the springs must of necessity
stand revealed. However, to anyone who knows sufficient of the
working of the box to lift out the false bottom, it will be an easy matter
to withdraw the springs and conceal them about his person."
"As you say that is an easy matter," said Carne, "and I shall not be
likely to forget. Now one other question. Presuming I am in a position
to put the real box into your hands for say eight hours, do you think that
in that time you can fit it up so that detection will be impossible?"
"Assuredly, my lord," replied Hiram Singh with conviction. "There is
but the lock and the fitting of the springs to be done. Three hours at
most would y suffice for that."
"I am pleased with you," said || Carne. "As a proof of my satisfaction,
when the work is finished you will each receive five hundred rupees.
Now you can go."
According to his promise, ten o'clock on the Friday following found
him in his hansom driving towards Belgrave Square. He was a little
anxious, though the casual observer would scarcely have been able to
tell it. The magnitude of the stake for which he was playing was
enough to try the nerve of even such a past master in his profession as
Simon Carne.
Arriving at the house he discovered some workmen erecting an awning
across the footway in preparation for the ball that was to take place at
night. It was not long, however, before he found himself in the boudoir,

reminding Her Grace of her promise to permit him an opportunity of
making a drawing of the famous jewel case. The Duchess was naturally
busy, and within a quarter of an hour he was on his way home with the
box placed on the seat of the carriage beside him.
"Now," he said, as he patted it good-humouredly, "if only the notion
worked out by Hiram Singh and Wajib Baksh holds good, the famous
Wiltshire diamonds will become my property before very many hours
are passed. By this time to-morrow, I suppose,London will be all agog
concerning the burglary."
On reaching his house he left his carriage and himself carried the box
into his study. Once there he rang his bell and ordered Hiram Singh and
Wajib Baksh to be sent to him. When they arrived he showed them the
box upon which they were to exercise their ingenuity.
"Bring your tools in here," he said, "and do the work under my own
eyes. You have but nine hours before you, so you must make the most
of them."
The men went for their implements, and as soon as they were ready set
to work. All through the day they were kept hard at it, with the result
that by five o'clock the alterations had been effected and the case stood
ready. By the time Carne returned from his afternoon drive in the Park
it was quite prepared for the part it was to play in his scheme. Having
praised the men, he turned them out and locked the door, then went
across the room and unlocked a drawer in his writing table. From it he
took a flat leather jewel case which he opened. It contained a necklace
of counterfeit diamonds, if anything a little larger than the one he
intended to try to obtain. He had purchased it that morning in the
Burlington Arcade for the purpose of testing the apparatus his servants
had made, and this he now proceeded to do.
Laying it carefully upon the bottom he closed the lid and turned the key.
When he opened it again the necklace was gone, and even though he
knew the secret he could not for the life of him see where the false
bottom began and ended. After that he reset the trap and tossed the
necklace carelessly in. To his delight it acted as well as on the previous

occasion. He could scarcely contain his satisfaction. His conscience
was sufficiently elastic to give him no trouble. To him it was scarcely a
robbery he was planning, but an artistic trial of skill, in which he pitted
his wits and cunning against the forces of society in general.
At half-past seven he dined and afterwards smoked a meditative cigar
over the evening paper in the billiard room. The invitations to the ball
were for ten o'clock, and at nine-thirty he went to his dressing-room.
"Make me tidy as quickly as you can," he said to Belton when the latter
appeared, "and while you are doing so listen to my final instructions.
"To-night, as you know, I am endeavouring to secure the Duchess of
Wiltshire's necklace. To-morrow morning all London