The p.a.w.nbroker laughed. It was a laugh which he kept for business purposes, and would have formed a valuable addition to the goodwill of the shop.
"I"ll give you fifty," he said, after he had regained his composure.
The seaman replaced the gem in its wrapper again.
"Well, I"ll give you seventy, and risk whether I lose over it,"
continued the p.a.w.nbroker.
"Five hundred"s my price," said the seaman calmly, as he placed the belt about his waist and began to buckle it up.
"Seventy-five," said the p.a.w.nbroker persuasively.
"Look here," said the seaman, regarding him sternly, "you drop it. I"m not going to haggle with you. I"m not going to haggle with any man. I ain"t no judge o" diamonds, but I"ve "ad cause to know as this is something special. See here."
He rolled back the coat sleeve from his brawny arm, and revealed a long, newly healed scar.
"I risked my life for that stone," he said slowly. "I value my life at five hundred pounds. It"s likely worth more than as many thousands, and you know it. However, good-night to you, mate. How much for the tea?"
He put his hand contemptuously in his trouser pocket, and pulled out some small change.
"There"s the risk of getting rid of the stone," said the p.a.w.nbroker, pushing aside the proffered coin. "Where did it come from? Has it got a history?"
"Not in Europe it ain"t," said the seaman. "So far as I know, you an" me an" one other are the only white men as know of it. That"s all I"m going to tell you."
"Do you mind waiting while I go and fetch a friend of mine to see it?"
inquired the p.a.w.nbroker. "You needn"t be afraid," he added hastily.
"He"s a respectable man and as close as the grave."
"I"m not afraid," said the seaman quietly. "But no larks, mind. I"m not a nice man to play them on. I"m pretty strong, an" I"ve got something else besides."
He settled himself in the armchair again, and accepting another cigar, watched his host as he took his hat from the sideboard.
"I"ll be back as soon as I can," said the latter somewhat anxiously.
"You won"t go before I come?"
"Not me," said the seaman bluntly. "When I say a thing I stick to it. I don"t haggle, and haggle, and-" he paused a moment for a word, "and haggle," he concluded.
Left to himself, he smoked on contentedly, blandly undisturbed by the fact that the a.s.sistant looked in at the door occasionally, to see that things were all right. It was quite a new departure for Mr. Hyams to leave his parlor to a stranger, and the a.s.sistant felt a sense of responsibility so great that it was a positive relief to him when his master returned, accompanied by another man.
"This is my friend," said Mr. Hyams, as they entered the parlor and closed the door. "You might let him see the stone."
The seaman took off his belt again, and placing the diamond in his hand held it before the stranger who, making no attempt to take it, turned it over with his finger and examined it critically.
"Are you going to sea again just yet?" he inquired softly.
"Thursday night," said the seaman, "Five hundred is my price; p"raps he told you. I"m not going to haggle."
"Just so, just so," said the other quietly. "It"s worth five hundred."
"Spoke like a man," said the seaman warmly.
"I like to deal with a man who knows his own mind," said the stranger, "it saves trouble. But if we buy it for that amount you must do one thing for us. Keep quiet and don"t touch a drop of liquor until you sail, and not a word to anybody."
"You needn"t be afraid o" the licker," said the sailor grimly. "I shan"t touch that for my own sake."
"He"s a teetotaler," explained the p.a.w.nbroker.
"He"s not," said the seaman indignantly.
"Why won"t you drink, then?" asked the other man.
"Fancy," said the seaman dryly, and closed his mouth.
Without another word the stranger turned to the p.a.w.nbroker, who, taking a pocket-book from his coat, counted out the amount in notes. These, after the sailor had examined them in every possible manner, he rolled up and put in his pocket, then without a word he took out the diamond again and laid it silently on the table. Mr. Hyams, his fingers trembling with eagerness, took it up and examined it delightedly.
"You"ve got it a bargain," said the seaman. "Good-night, gentlemen. I hope, for your sakes, n.o.body"ll know I"ve parted with it. Keep your eyes open, and trust n.o.body. When you see black, smell mischief. I"m glad to get rid of it."
He threw his head back, and, expanding his chest as though he already breathed more freely, nodded to both men, and, walking through the shop, pa.s.sed out into the street and disappeared.
Long after he had gone, the p.a.w.nbroker and his friend, Levi, sat with the door locked and the diamond before them, eagerly inspecting it.
"It"s a great risk," said the p.a.w.nbroker. "A stone like that generally makes some noise."
"Anything good is risky," said the other somewhat contemptuously. "You don"t expect to get a windfall like that without any drawback, do you?"
He took the stone in his hand again, and eyed it lovingly. "It"s from the East somewhere," he said quietly. "It"s badly cut, but it"s a diamond of diamonds, a king of gems."
"I don"t want any trouble with the police," said the p.a.w.nbroker, as he took it from him.
"You are talking now as though you have just made a small advance on a stolen overcoat," said his friend impatiently. "A risk like that-and you have done it before now-is a foolish one to run; the game is not worth the candle. But this-why it warms one"s blood to look at it."
"Well, I"ll leave it with you," said the p.a.w.nbroker. "If you do well with it I ought not to want to work any more."
The other placed it in an inside pocket, while the owner watched him anxiously.
"Don"t let any accident happen to you to-night, Levi," he said nervously.
"Thanks for your concern," said Levi grimacing. "I shall probably be careful for my own sake."
He b.u.t.toned up his coat, and, drinking a gla.s.s of hot whisky, went out whistling. He had just reached the door when the p.a.w.nbroker called him back.
"If you like to take a cab, Levi," he said, in a low voice so that the a.s.sistant should not hear, "I"ll pay for it."
"I"ll take an omnibus," said Levi, smiling quietly. "You"re getting extravagant, Hyams. Besides, fancy the humor of sitting next to a pickpocket with this on me."
He waved a cheery farewell, and the p.a.w.nbroker, watching him from the door, scowled angrily as he saw his light-hearted friend hail an omnibus at the corner and board it. Then he went back to the shop, and his everyday business of making advances on flat-irons and other realizable a.s.sets of the neighborhood.
At ten o"clock he closed for the night, the a.s.sistant hurriedly pulling down the shutters that his time for recreation might not be unduly curtailed. He slept off the premises, and the p.a.w.nbroker, after his departure, made a slight supper, and sat revolving the affairs of the day over another of his black cigars until nearly midnight. Then, well contented with himself, he went up the bare, dirty stairs to his room and went to bed, and, despite the excitement of the evening, was soon in a loud slumber, from which he was aroused by a distant and sustained knocking.