"There!" exclaimed Garside, as if quite pleased to discover that he had
been so nearly right. "I knew well enough that Venner had not sent out
any order without mentioning it to me. Yes, your Mr. Boyden left the
stones here. For Tiffany & Co., eh?"

"Yes, sir, and they should have been delivered long ago," was the reply,
with a conventional laugh. "If you please, I'll leave them there on my
way back. Deucedly stupid blunder on Hafferman's part, I'm sure; and I
hope--"

"Oh, there's no harm done, I guess, and but little time lost,"
interrupted Garside, joining in the other's laugh. "You will deliver
them, you say?"

"If you please."

"Here, Joseph, hand me that package of diamonds left here by Boyden.
They were sent to us by mistake. I knew it well enough at the time. Here
you are, Mr. ----"

"Raymond, sir. I am cashier at Hafferman's. Many thanks. Sorry to have
troubled you--very sorry."

"No trouble at all," laughed Garside, accompanying Mr. Raymond toward
the street door. "The trouble has been all yours, sir."

"That's quite true," smiled Raymond, as he bowed himself out with the
package of diamonds in his hand. "But now the pleasure is all mine!" he
added to himself, upon reaching the sidewalk.

Then he strode rapidly away, quickly losing himself in the midday
stream of people thronging the famous New York thoroughfare.

Less than five minutes later, before any misgivings had crept into the
mind of Mr. Garside, the senior member of the firm came hurrying into
the store.

"Oh, I say, Venner!" exclaimed his partner, stopping him near the office
door. "What diamonds are you thinking of buying of Hafferman?"

"Of Hafferman?" echoed Venner, with a look of surprise.

"Weren't you looking at some stones there yesterday?"

"Yes, certainly. Some very choice diamonds. I want ten of the first
water, a little larger and more perfectly matched than any we have in
stock at present. But how did you learn that I had called there?"

Mr. Garside quickly informed him of the several incidents of the past
half hour, when, to his consternation and dismay a look of sudden
apprehension swept over Venner's face.

"Raymond--the name of Hafferman's cashier!" he cried. "Nothing of the
sort, Philip. Their cashier is named Briggs. I know him well."

"Briggs! Briggs!"

"Briggs--yes, Briggs!" reiterated Mr. Venner, excitedly. "By Heaven,
there must be something wrong here!"

"Dear me! If this Raymond was an impostor, we ar