"Well, the story is about stealing diamonds, and a handful of those pretty stones is worth a million, sometimes two!" And Torres, whose face expressed the vilest sentiments of cupidity, almost unconsciously made a gesture of opening and shutting his hand.
"This is what happened," he continued.

"At Tijuco it is customary to send off in one delivery the diamonds collected during the year.

They are divided into two lots, according to their size, after being sorted in a dozen sieves with holes of different dimensions.

These lots are put into sacks and forwarded to Rio de Janeiro; but as they are worth many millions you may imagine they are heavily escorted.

A workman chosen by the superintendent, four cavalrymen from the district regiment, and ten men on foot, complete the convoy.