Part 3 (1/2)
He drew forth a wallet filled with bills, and began to count out the sum he had named.
”Wait a moment,” said Mrs. Bently, the color mounting to her temples; ”I have a handsome case for the ornaments. I will go and get it for you.”
She turned suddenly and vanished from his presence, before he could tell her he would rather take them in the little box.
”How sensitive the poor child is!” he murmured, with a tender smile; ”she could not even bear to see me count out the money.”
Mrs. Bently soon returned with a handsome morocco case in her hands.
”They look better in this,” she remarked, as she lifted the lid, and revealed the crescents lying upon a rich black velvet bed; ”and,” with a nervous little laugh, ”now that I know they are genuine, I really am very loath to part with them, in spite of my necessity.”
She closed the case with a snap, and pa.s.sed it to him, and he slipped a roll of crisp bank-bills into her hand.
”This arrangement will smooth all difficulties, I trust,” he said, ”and now,” with a slight tremor in his voice, ”I have a special favor to ask.
May I come to see you at No. 10 ---- street?”
”Certainly, you may, Mr. Cutler,” she replied, lifting a bright, eager face to him, ”and I a.s.sure you I shall have a warmer welcome for no one else. I cannot tell you how grateful I am--”
”Do not speak of that,” he interposed. ”I am amply repaid for anything I have done by seeing the look of trouble gone from your face. I must bid you good morning now, but I shall give myself the pleasure of calling upon you very soon.”
He held out his hand to her, and she laid hers within it. He was surprised to find it icy cold and trembling, but he attributed it to emotion caused by the parting with him.
”Then I shall only say _au revoir_,” she responded, smiling.
She looked so lovely that he longed to draw her within his arms and take a more tender leave of her, but again putting a curb upon himself, he simply bowed, and left her, when with a quick, elastic step, she swept up stairs to her own apartments.
Justin Cutler was very busy all the morning, and did not find time to go to the jeweler's until the afternoon.
He had no intention of disposing of the crescents--he simply wished to tell him that he had himself concluded to purchase them, and then ask the privilege of depositing them in Mr. Arnold's safe for a few days; for they were to be his gift to the woman he loved, if she received his suit with favor.
The gentleman was in, and his eyes lighted as his glance fell upon the case which Mr. Cutler laid upon the show-case, for he believed that, in purchasing the crescents, he was going to get an unusually good bargain.
”Ah,” he remarked, ”the lady has decided to dispose of the stones?”
”Yes; but--” Mr. Cutler began, when he suddenly stopped, and gazed, astonished, at the man.
He had taken the case, opened it, and started in dismay as he saw what were within, while a look of blank consternation overspread his face.
Then he turned sternly, almost fiercely, upon the young man.
”What is the meaning of this?” he demanded, in a threatening tone. ”Did you imagine you could cheat me in this miserable way? You have got hold of the wrong customer if you did.”
”What do you mean, sir?” inquired Mr. Cutler, amazed, but flus.h.i.+ng angrily at being addressed so uncivilly.
”These are not the stones you brought to me yesterday,” said Mr. Arnold, who was also very angry.
”Sir!” exclaimed Justin Cutler, aghast, but with haughty mien.
”They are nothing but paste,” continued the jeweler, eyeing the beautiful crescents with disdain; ”and,” he added, menacingly, ”I've a mind to have you arrested on the spot for attempting to obtain money under false pretenses.”