The Mystery of the Five Hundred Diamonds

These here shiners are valuable; they belong to my friend who has just gone out. Casting no reflections on the generality of people in this room, there are, never- theless, half a dozen ‘crooks’ among us whom my friend wishes to avoid. Now, no honest man here will object to giving the buyer of that there trinket five clear minutes in which to get away. It’s only the ‘crooks’ that can kick. I ask these five minutes as a favour, but if they are not granted I am going to take them as a right. Any man who moves will get shot.