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"It is my duty, Herr Professor; in such cases I may not discriminate," apologized Brandt, "and it is but a matter of form." "So be it, search!" and the offended professor turned again to the dead man, ignoring the industrious Brietmann, who emptied bags, unlocked boxes, peered into jars of chemicals, and generally upset the scientist's most sacred possessions.
"The word of a murderer, a delirious man, and a thief against that of four gentlemen!" Gilderman exclaimed, bluffing desperately for the benefit of the wachtmeister and Brietmann; who had pulled themselves together, and stood looking with lowering brows from one to the other. "Gentlemen! Lieber Gott!
Dick, who had stood as one in a dream, and let the professor do all the talking, now shook himself together sufficiently to hand over the handcuffs to Brietmann who only glared at him and apologized to Brandt for the unlucky blow he had given him. "I bear no malice, friend Englander," said the wachtmeister, "but you have broken my nose.
Meanwhile Brietmann searched tent after tent; ransacking bags, portmanteaux and boxes, shaking out clothing and blankets, and prying into every conceivable article in a vain endeavor to find the stones; whilst the indignant quartette under examination broke out again and again in a storm of impotent wrath. In the middle of this hubbub the professor's voice was heard for the first time.
"Donner-wetter!" yelled the wachtmeister, "the diamonds! Here is the thief!" And instantly he seized Dick in a formidable grip. Curses and execrations burst from the other men, who, wildly excited, crowded round Dick and the diamonds threatening and exulting. "Thief! Scoundrel! Rascally mule-driver! Schwein-hund!" they cried. "The handcuffs, Brietmann!
"Brietmann," he called to his comrade, "search all the tents everything! I arrest you all, let no man move till a search has been made. Now," he continued, rising from the dying man's side, and turning on them, "which of you has the diamonds?"
At length, in a dark corner of the tent, Brietmann came to a black box secured with a big padlock. "Herr Professor," he called; "this box. It is locked." The professor simply grunted. "The key, Herr Professor," he persisted. "I advise you to leave that box alone," growled the owner. "It must be opened, nicht warum, wachtmeister?" asked Brietmann of the sergeant. "Ja wohl," said the wachtmeister.
Why did you not bundle the whole lot back and have them locked up?" "They were all armed, and we were not," said the professor. "Then we will disarm them," said Brandt, and covering them with his revolver he made Brietmann do so taking away the revolver that each man carried, and taking not the slightest notice of their protests.
But now the big wachtmeister, a powerful and athletic man, was less cumbered by his would-be helpers, and getting a firm grip on Dick with both arms he gradually forced him down on the unfortunate Brietmann, whilst Spattboom, his one remaining helper, valiantly clung to Dick's frantically kicking legs.
Brietmann, you schwein-hund! . . . never have I seen such a dummkopf! . . . Secure him, I say!" "Hold!" roared the professor, "touch him not till I hear what all this is about. Besides, the man will kill you! Never have I seen a better fighter or a better fight! And fair play he shall have. And explain I saw not the beginning of all this, what has the Herr Sydney done?"
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