Akehurst explained that the Consul was not making the defendant a he Present of the stones.
They were to be sent by registered post to some one in Ferry Road. Grimble would then be able to take delivery and forward them to some of Mr. Porter's friends. For his trouble, Grimble was to receive some of the stones.
On Saturday, August 26, defendant told witness that he had the stones with him. They were from the Ural Mountains and genuine, he said, supporting his statement by. adding that Mr. Porter was an acknowledged expert on such things. It was next to impossible for him to send anything but the real article. Defendant was to have tiffin with witness, but before going to his flat they, met at the Palace Hotel, witness's intention being to have the stones examined at a jewellers. Defendant then said he would have nothing further to do with the transaction.
"My reason my appear to be a strange one," said Mr. Akehurst, "but this is nevertheless a fact. I was not afraid of being done down. It was my wish to be perfectly certain of giving him a fair deal by having them valued. I did not want to run the risk of underpaying him. Had it been to protect myself I would naturally have insisted upon having the things valued there and then.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.