they were all right. I reported this decision
to Mrs. Bent, and we went together to an expert to submit the stones to
his verdict.

"He pronounced them exceedingly fine, and valued them far above the price
which my friend had put upon them, and I told her I would take them. We
returned to our hotel and went directly to my rooms, where my husband
drew up a check for a hundred dollars more than the stipulated price,
Mrs. Bent giving a receipt for the amount, while she was profuse in
her expressions of gratitude for our kindness in relieving her from
pecuniary embarrassment. 'I shall go immediately to pay my bill,' she
said, looking greatly pleased that she was able to do so, as she handed
me the case containing the diamonds, and then she immediately left the
room. Half an hour later she came to me again, her eyes red and swollen
from weeping, an open telegram in her hand. Her mother was dying, and had
sent for her, and she was going immediately to her. She took an
affectionate leave of me and soon after left the hotel. This, your honor,
is how I came to have the crescents and"--taking a folded paper from her
elegant purse--"here is the receipt for the money paid for them."

The lady took her seat after giving this testimony, while the receipt was
examined by the police justice and Mr. Cutler's counsel.

"I hope the lady has not been a victim to the same cunning scheme that
served to defraud the gentleman from Chicago," he gravely observed.

"You do not mean to imply that my stones are not genuine!" exclaimed Mrs.
Vanderheck, with sudden dismay.

"I am not able to say, madame," his honor courteously replied, "but I
should like to have them examined by an expert and proved."

Mr. Palmer here stated that he could settle the question if he were
allowed to examine them.

Both cases were passed to him, and after closely inspecting the crescents
for a moment or two, he returned them, with the remark:

"The stones are _all_ paste, but a remarkably good imitation. I should
judge that they had been submitted to a certain solution or varnish,
which has recently been discovered, and is used to simulate the
brilliancy of diamonds, but which, if the stones are dropped in alcohol,
will dissolve and vanish."

"Impossible!" Mrs. Vanderheck protested, with some warmth. "It _cannot_
be that I have worn paste ornaments for more than three years, and never
discovered the fact."

"It is not strange that you were deceived," the gentl