"
"Never mind! Pack it up, and we'll run our chance."
Felix Montgomery left the house with the ring carefully deposited
in his vest pocket. To judge from his air of easy indifference,
he might readily have been taken for a substantial citizen in
excellent circumstances; but then appearances are oftentimes
deceitful, and they were especially so in the present instance.
He made his way quickly to Broadway, and thence to Tiffany's, at
that time not so far uptown as at present. He entered the store
with a nonchalant air, and, advancing to the counter, accosted
the same clerk to whom Paul had shown the ring earlier in the
day.
"I have a valuable ring which I would like to sell," he said.
"Will you tell me its value?"
The clerk no sooner took it in his hand than he recognized it.
"I have seen that ring before," he said, looking at Mr.
Montgomery keenly.
"Yes," said the latter, composedly; "this morning, wasn't it?"
"Yes."
"My boy brought it in here. I ought not to have sent him, for he
came very near losing it on the way home. I thought it best to
come with it myself."
This was said so quietly that it was hard to doubt the statement,
or would have been if information had not been brought to the
store that the ring had been stolen.
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