on 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 flushing
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."

Mr. Cutler grew pale at this with mingled anger and a sudden fear.

He reached across the counter and took the case from Mr. Arnold's hand.

He turned the stones to the light.

At the first glance they seemed to be all right--he could detect nothing
wrong; for aught that he could see the crescents were the same which he
had submitted to the merchant the day before. But as he studied them more
closely the gleam of the gems was entirely different--the fire of the
genuine diamond was lacking.

"Can it be possible that I have been duped, swindled?" he exclaimed, with
white lips and a sinking heart.

"I should say, rather, that you were attempting to dupe and swindle some
one else," sarcastically retorted the diamond dealer. "The stones are a
remarkably fine imitation, I am free to confess, and would easily deceive
a casual observer; but if you have ever tried and succeeded in this
clever