ingly. "I was
not aware that Venner sent out any order for diamonds this morning."

"One of your clerks brought the order, sir, and requested Mr. Hafferman
to send the stones here as soon as convenient," replied the messenger.
"Mr. Hafferman did not know your clerk personally, so I was sent here to
deliver the stones."

"What is your name, young man?"

"Harry Boyden, sir. I have worked for Mr. Hafferman for nearly five
years. I think you will find that the order was properly sent."

"Wait just a moment, Mr. Boyden," suggested Garside, smiling.

Then he hastened to the rear of the store, and spoke through the open
window near the cashier's desk.

"Do any of you know of an order sent out by Mr. Venner this morning?"
he inquired, addressing the several clerks at work in the office. "An
order to Thomas Hafferman for ten diamonds."

Only a girl stenographer, seated at a typewriter near the office door,
replied:

"I think Mr. Venner sent Spaulding out about half an hour ago, sir," she
replied. "I saw him give Spaulding several letters."

"Ah, doubtless it's all right enough," bowed Garside; "yet I wonder that
I had heard nothing about it. Joseph, has Spaulding been here within a
few minutes?"

"No, sir," replied the clerk, the same who had at first been questioned.
"I saw him go out just before Mr. Venner departed, and he has not yet
returned."

Garside had now reached the middle of the store again, where Boyden was
still waiting.

"Are you quite sure that the order came from Mr. Venner?" he again
inquired. "How long ago was the messenger at your store?"

"About half an hour ago, sir," Boyden readily answered. "The order was,
I presume, signed by Mr. Venner."

"Was it our man Spaulding who delivered the order? Do you know him by
sight?"

"I do not, sir. Joseph Maynard, yonder, is the only clerk here with whom
I am acquainted, and I think he will vouch for me," said Boyden, now
beginning to smile at Garside's manifest caution over receiving the
diamonds. "Surely, sir, no harm can come from your keeping the stones
until Mr. Venner returns, since I am willing to leave them with you," he
added, laughing.

"Oh, no, no--I wasn't thinking of that," Garside quickly answered. "I
wished only to avoid the needless trouble of returning them, in case the
order did not come from us."

"I think the order was all right, Mr. Garside. Besides, sir, I saw Mr.
Venner yesterday at our store, examining some diamonds. Doubtle