ymoon out of him?--that would be
something new, Rachel."

She actually paused in her haste.

"Wouldn't it be splendid!" she exclaimed, putting her parasol well back
behind her head, so that the glow of its crimson silk formed a telling
background to her face. "Wouldn't it be gorgeous? But as soon as I'm
married he will say, 'No, Rachel, my dear child, your poor old father is
supplanted--your husband now has the sole privilege of satisfying your
expensive tastes. Depend on him for everything you want.' What a
magnificent time I should have on your twelve notes a month!"

The spruce bank-clerk was subdued in a moment, in the twinkling of one
of Rachel's beautiful black eyes--his matrimonial intentions had been
rudely reduced to a basis of pounds, shillings and pence.

But just at this embarrassing point of the conversation they turned into
Tresco's doorway, and confronted the rubicund goldsmith, whose beaming
smile seemed to fill the whole shop.

"I saw an awf'ly jolly watch in your window," said Rachel.

"Probably. Nothing more likely, Miss Varnhagen," replied Benjamin. "Gold
or silver?"

"Gold, of course! Let me see what you've got."

"Why, certainly." Tresco took gold watches from the window, from the
glass case on the counter, from the glass cupboard that stood against
the wall, from the depths of the great iron safe, from everywhere,
and placed them in front of the pretty Jewess. Then he glanced with
self-approval at the bank-clerk, and said: "I guarantee them to keep
perfect time. And, after all, there's nothing like a good watch--a young
lady cannot keep her appointments, or a young man be on time, without a
watch. Most important: no one should be without it."

Rachel was examining the chronometers, one by one; opening and shutting
their cases, examining their dials, peering into their mysterious works.
She had taken off her gloves, and her pretty hands, ornamented with
dainty rings, were displayed in all their shapeliness and delicacy.

"What's the price?" she asked.

"Prices to suit all buyers," said Tresco. "They go from ten pounds
upwards. This is the one I recommend--it carries a guarantee for
five years--jewelled throughout, in good, strong case--duplex
escapement--compensation balance. Price L25." He held up a gold
chronometer in a case which was flat and square, with rounded corners,
and engraved elaborately--a watch which would catch the eye and induce
comment.

The jeweller had gauged the t