Mr.Czenki dropped into his chair again.
"And now, Mr.Czenki, speaking as an expert, what would you say was the most perfect diamond the world ?" asked Mr.Wynne.
"The five blue-white stones you mailed to these gentlemen," replied the expert without hesitation.
"Perhaps I should have specified the most perfect diamond known to the world at large," Mr.Wynne added smilingly.
"The Regent." Again Mr.Cawthorne looked around, with bewilderment in his eyes.
The others nodded their approval of Mr.Czenki's opinion.
"The Regent, yes," Mr.Wynne agreed; "one hundred and thirty-six and three-quarter carats, cut as a brilliant, worn by Napoleon in his sword-hilt, now in the Louvre at Paris, the property of the French Government--valued at two and a half million dollars." His hand disappeared into the leather packet again; poised on his finger-tips, when he withdrew them, was another huge jewel.

He dropped it into Mr.Schultze's hand.

"There is further proof that the diamond output has increased fiftyfold." Mr.Schultze seemed dazed as he turned and twisted the diamond in his hand.

After a moment he passed it on down the table without a word.
"A duplicate also," and Mr.Wynne glanced at Mr.Cawthorne.

"It is reasonably certain that you would have heard of that if it had disappeared from the Louvre." He turned to Mr.Schultze again.