"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 043 - The Crime Clinic" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

side entrance of a small restaurant.

Half an hour passed while The Shadow watched from obscurity. The proprietor of the restaurant was a
Hindu, garbed in American attire. Most of his patrons were Americans; but as The Shadow lingered, a
dark-skinned individual entered and spoke to the restaurant keeper. After that, he went to a table in a
corner of the place and sat down.

The Shadow glided from the unused entrance. Shortly afterward, a second Hindu entered, spied the one
seated at the table, and joined him. The men waited until bowls of curried rice had been set before them.

Alone, they were about to speak, when a tall American strolled in and took his seat at a table near by.
One of the Hindus glanced in his direction, then shrugged his shoulders, and started to talk to his
companion.

THE Hindus were obviously men of intelligence. The fineness of their Aryan features showed that fact.
Their talk was partly English, partly the native tongue familiar to them. It would have been an
indecipherable jargon to the average American.

The customer near by had ordered a dish of Indian food. He seemed quite oblivious to the words which
the Hindus were uttering. Nevertheless, his ears were keen, and nothing escaped him. The dialect came
within his understanding.

"It can only be the one," a Hindu was declaring. "Its color - red - is all that we need to know. It is the
diamond taken from Bishenpur."
"Would Changra of Bombay still seek it?" queried the man's companion.

"No," was the reply. "Once it had left London, and come to New York, the price would be too great for
any offer he might make. Changra sells his gems at profit."

"He sought the Bishenpur diamond."

"Yes. The Nizam of Hyderabad would gladly buy it for his vast collection. The Nizam would pay a great
price."

"How much would Changra offer for the diamond?"

"One hundred and fifty thousand rupees."

An eager hiss came from the listening Hindu.

"You are going back to India," said the first speaker. "If you should carry with you the Bishenpur
diamond, it would mean great gain for each of us."

"Changra would ask no questions?"

"None."

"But the diamond? How can you obtain it?"

"Tippu is watching at the American's castle. Tippu is bold. He will do his utmost to seize it."