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him。〃
Meanwhile Mr。 Tiffany； after a prolonged examination； said： 〃The
ring is worth two hundred and fifty dollars。〃
〃That will be satisfactory；〃 said Mr。 Montgomery； promptly。
〃Shall I give you a check for the amount？〃 asked the jeweler。
〃I should prefer the money； as I am a stranger in the city； and
not known at the banks。〃
〃I can make the check payable to bearer； and then you will have
no difficulty in getting it cashed。〃
While this conversation was going on； the clerk entered the store
with the policeman； but Mr。 Montgomery's back was turned； and he
was not aware of the fact till the officer tapped him on the
shoulder； saying： 〃You are my prisoner。〃
〃What does this mean？ There is some mistake；〃 said the
adventurer； wheeling round with a start。
〃No mistake at all。 You must come with me。〃
〃What have I done？ You take me for some one else。〃
〃You have stolen a diamond ring。〃
〃Who says so？〃 demanded the adventurer； boldly。 〃It is true I
brought one here to sell； but it has belonged to me for years。〃
〃You are mistaken； Mr。 Montgomery；〃 said Paul； who had come up
unperceived。 〃You stole that ring from me this morning； after
dosing me with chloroform at Lovejoy's Hotel。〃
〃It is a lie；〃 said the adventurer； boldly。 〃That boy is my son。
He is in league with his mother to rob me。 She sent him here
this morning unknown to me。 Finding it out； I took the ring from
him； and brought it here myself。〃
Paul was certainly surprised at being claimed as a son by the man
who had swindled him； and answered： 〃I never saw you before this
morning。 I have no father living。〃
〃I will guarantee this boy's truth and honesty；〃 said Mr。
Preston； speaking for the first time。 〃I believe you know me；
Mr。 Tiffany。〃
〃I need no other assurance；〃 said the jeweler； bowing。 〃Officer；
you may remove your prisoner。〃
〃The game is up；〃 said the adventurer； finding no further chance
for deception。 〃I played for high stakes； and I have lost the
game。 I have one favor to ask。 Will some one let my wife know
where I am？〃
〃Give me her address；〃 said Paul； 〃and I will let her know。〃
〃No。 Amity street。 Ask her to come to the station…house to
see me。〃
〃I will go at once。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Mr。 Montgomery； 〃as I am not to have the ring；
I don't know that I am sorry it has fallen into your hands。 One
piece of advice I will venture to offer you； my lad；〃 he added；
smiling。 〃Beware of any jewelers hailing from Syracuse。 They
will cheat you； if you give them a chance。〃
〃I will be on my guard；〃 said Paul。 〃Can I do anything more for
you？〃
〃Nothing； thank you。 I have a fast friend at my side； who will
look after me。〃
The officer smiled grimly at the jest； and the two left the store
arm in arm。
〃Do you still wish to sell this ring？〃 asked Mr。 Tiffany；
addressing Paul。
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃I renew my offer of this morning。 I will give you two hundred
and fifty dollars。〃
〃I shall be glad to accept it。〃
The sale was quickly effected； and Paul left the store with what
seemed to him a fortune in his pocket
〃Be careful not to lose your money；〃 said Mr Preston。
〃I should like to place a hundred and fifty dollars in your
hands；〃 said Paul； turning to Mr。 Preston。
〃I will willingly take care of it for you； and allow you interest
upon it。〃
The transfer was made； and； carefully depositing the balance of
the money in his pocketbook； our hero took leave of his friend
and sought the house in Amity street。
CHAPTER XXV
PAUL'S FINAL SUCCESS
Mrs。 Montgomery impatiently awaited the return of her husband。
Meanwhile she commenced packing the single trunk which answered
both for her husband and herself。 She was getting tired of New
York； and anxious to leave for Philadelphia； being fearful lest
certain little transactions in which she and her husband had
taken part should become known to the police。
She had nearly completed her packing when Paul rang the doorbell。
The summons was answered by the landlady in person。
〃Is Mrs。 Montgomery at home？〃 asked Paul。
〃No such lady lives here；〃 was the answer。
It occurred to Paul as very possible that Mr。 Montgomery might
pass under a variety of names。 He accordingly said； 〃Perhaps I
have got the name wrong。 The lady I mean is tall。 I come with a
message from her husband； who is a stout man with black hair and
whiskers。 He gave me this number。〃
〃Perhaps you mean Mr。 Grimsby。 He and his wife live here。〃
〃Probably that is the name；〃 said Paul。
〃I will give Mrs。 Grimsby your message；〃 returned the landlady；
whose curiosity was excited to learn something further about her
boarders。
〃Thank you；〃 said Paul； 〃but it is necessary for me to see the
lady myself。〃
〃Well； you can follow me； then；〃 said the landlady； rather
ungraciously。
She led the way upstairs； and knocked at the door of Mrs。
Grimsby； or as we will still call her； Mrs。 Montgomery； since
that name is more familiar to the reader； and she was as much
entitled to the one as the other。
Mrs。 Montgomery opened the door； and regarded our hero
suspiciously； for her mode of life had taught her suspicion of
strangers。
〃Here's a boy that wants to see you；〃 said the landlady。
〃I come with a message from your husband；〃 said Paul。
Mrs。 Montgomery remembered Paul as the boy who was the real owner
of the diamond ring； and she eyed him with increased suspicion。
〃Did my husband send you？ When did you see him。〃
〃Just now； at Tiffany's；〃 answered Paul； significantly。
〃What is his message？〃 asked Mrs。 Montgomery； beginning to feel
uneasy。
Paul glanced at the landlady； who； in the hope of gratifying her
curiosity； maintained her stand by his side。
〃The message is private；〃 he said。
〃I suppose that means that I am in the way；〃 remarked the
landlady； sharply。 〃I don't want to pry into anybody's secrets。
Thank Heaven； I haven't got any secrets of my own。〃
〃Walk in； young man；〃 said Mrs。 Montgomery。
Paul entered the room； and she closed the door behind him。
Meanwhile the landlady； who had gone part way downstairs；
retraced her steps； softly； and put her ear to the keyhole。 Her
curiosity； naturally strong； had been stimulated by Paul's
intimation that there was a secret。
〃Now；〃 said Mrs。 Montgomery； impatiently； 〃out with it！ Why does
my husband send a message by you； instead of coming himself？〃
〃He can't come himself。〃
〃Why can't he？〃
〃I am sorry to say that I am the bearer of bad news；〃 said Paul；
gravely。 〃Your husband has been arrested for robbing me of a
diamond ring。〃
〃Where is he？〃 demanded Mrs。 Montgomery； not so much excited or
overcome as she would have been had this been the first time her
husband had fallen into the clutches of the law。
〃At the street station…house。 He wants you to come and see him。〃
〃Have you got the ring back？〃
〃Yes。〃
Mrs。 Montgomery was sorry to hear it。 She hoped her husband
might be able to secrete it； in which case he would pass it over
to her to dispose of。 Now she was rather awkwardly situated；
being without money； or the means of making any。
〃I will go；〃 she said。
Paul； who was sitting next to the door； opened it suddenly； with
unexpected effort； for the landlady； whose ear was fast to the
keyhole； staggered into the room involuntarily。
〃So you were listening； ma'am； were you？〃 demanded Mrs。
Montgomery； scornfully。
〃Yes； I was；〃 said the landlady； rather red in the face。
〃You were in good business。〃
〃It's a better business than stealing diamond rings；〃 retorted
the landlady； recovering herself。 〃I've long suspected there was
something wrong about you and your husband； ma'am； and now I know
it。 I don't want no thieves nor jail birds in my house； and the
sooner you pay your bill and leave； the better I'll like it。〃
〃I'll leave as soon as you like； but I can't pay your bill。〃
〃I dare say；〃 retorted the landlady。 〃You're a nice character to
cheat an honest woman out of four weeks' board。〃
〃Well； Paul； what news？〃 asked Barry。
〃I am ready to buy your stand；〃 said Paul。
〃Can you pay me all the money down？〃
〃On the spot。〃
〃Then it is all settled；〃 said Barry； with satisfaction。 〃I am
glad of it； for now I shall be able to go on to Philadelphia
to…morrow。〃
Paul drew a roll of bills from his pocket； and proceeded to count
out thirty…five dollars。 Barry noticed with surprise that he had
a considerable amount left。
〃You are getting rich； Paul；〃 he said。
〃I am not rich yet；〃 answered Paul； 〃but I mean to be some time
if I can accomplish it by industry and attention to business。〃
〃You'll be sure to succeed；〃 said George Barry。 〃You're just