he next morning, when Sam reached the office, he found William Budd
glancing at the _Herald._

"You are late," said the young clerk.

"I was out late last evening," said Sam, apologetically.

"At a fashionable party, I suppose?"

"Not exactly. I was at the theater."

"I thought you were out of money yesterday."

"Oh, I raised a little."

"It seems to me you are rather extravagant for your means."

"I guess I'll come out right," said Sam, carelessly.

"By the way, you haven't found a diamond ring, have you?" asked Budd,
his eyes fixed upon the paper.

Sam was startled, but his fellow clerk was scanning the paper, and did
not observe his embarrassment.

"What makes you ask that?" Sam inquired.

"Nothing; only you'd be in luck if you did."

"Why would I?"

"Here's an advertisement from a man who has lost such a ring, offering
twenty-five dollars reward to the finder."

"Twenty-five dollars!" ejaculated Sam, in excitement. "Does he say
where he lost it?"

"Supposed to have been lost in Wall Street."

"Wall Street!" repeated Sam. "It must be the one I found," he
thought.

"Yes; I don't suppose there's much chance of his getting it back
again."

"Let me see the advertisement," said Sam.

"There it is," said Budd, handing him the paper.

Sam read it carefully, and impressed the address upon his memory--No.
49 Wall Street. The advertiser was John Chester.

"Are you going out to look for it?" asked William, in joke.

"I guess there wouldn't be much show for me. Probably somebody has
picked it up already."

"No doubt."

"Shall I go to the post office?"

"Of course not till after you have swept the office. Did you expect me
to do that?"

Sam probably never swept so quickly before. He was anxious to get out,
and see what chance he had of earning the twenty-five dollars, for he
was convinced that the ring advertised for was the one he had found.
He was provoked to think he had been so quick in pawning it. If he
only had it in his possession now he would have nothing to do but to
call on Mr. Chester and receive twenty-five dollars. With that amount
he would feel as rich as a millionaire. Now the problem was to get
hold of the ring, and this, in Sam's circumstances, was not an easy
problem to solve. Of the five dollars he had received from the
pawnbroker he had but three left, and it was idle to expect to recover
it unless he should pay the full price and the commission besides.

"What shall I do