Two cunning scoundrels--geniuses they should be called--well provided with some ill-gotten funds--but determined on a grand _coup_.

They play at respectability, for six months, say.

One is the master, the other the servant; they take a house in the same street as their intended victim, make friends with him, accomplish one or two creditable but very small business transactions, always drawing on the reserve funds, which might even have amounted to a few hundreds--and a bit of credit.
"Then the Brazilian diamonds, and the Parisians--which, remember, were so perfect that they required chemical testing to be detected.

The Parisian stones are sold--not in business, of course--in the evening, after dinner and a good deal of wine.

Mr.Knopf's Brazilians were beautiful; perfect! Mr.Knopf was a well-known diamond merchant.
"Mr.Shipman bought--but with the morning would have come sober sense, the cheque stopped before it could have been presented, the swindler caught.