CHAPTER XIX
PAUL DELIBERATES
Paul stood in the street irresolute. He looked hopelessly up and downBroadway, but of course the jeweler from Syracuse was not to be seen.Seeking for him in a city containing hundreds of streets and millionsof inhabitants was about as discouraging as hunting for a needle in ahaystack. But difficult as it was, Paul was by no means ready to giveup the search. Indeed, besides the regret he felt at the loss, he wasmortified at having been so easily outwitted.
"He's taken me in just as if I was a country boy," thought Paul. "I daresay he's laughing at me now. I'd like to get even with him."
Finally he decided to go to Tiffany's, and ask them to detain any onewho might bring in the ring and offer it for sale. He at once acted uponthis thought, and, hailing a Broadway stage, for no time was to be lost,soon reached his destination. Entering the store, he walked up to thecounter and addressed the clerk to whom he had before shown the ring.
"Do you remember my offering you a diamond ring for sale this morning?"he asked.
"Yes, I remember it very well. Have you got it with you?"
"No, it has been stolen from me."
"Indeed! How was that?" asked the clerk, with interest.
"I met in the cars a well-dressed man, who called himself a jeweler fromSyracuse. He examined the ring, and offered me more than Mr. Tiffany,but asked me to bring it to him at Lovejoy's Hotel. When I got there, hedrugged me with chloroform, and when I recovered he was gone."
"You have been unlucky. There are plenty of such swindlers about. Youshould have been careful about displaying the ring before strangers."
"I was showing it to a friend."
"Have you notified the police?"
"Not yet. I came here to let you know, because I thought the thief mightbring it in here to sell."
"Very likely. Give me a description of him."
Paul described Mr. Felix Montgomery to the best of his ability.
"I think I should know him from your description. I will speak to Mr.Tiffany, and he will no doubt give orders to detain any person who mayoffer the ring for sale."
"Thank you."
"If you will give me your address, we will notify you in case the ringis brought in."
Paul left his address, and went out of the store, feeling that he hadtaken one step toward the recovery of his treasure. He next visited thepolice headquarters, and left a detailed description of the man who hadrelieved him of the ring and of the circumstances attending the robbery.Then he went home.
His mother looked up as he entered.
"Well, Paul?" she said, inquiringly.
"I've got bad news, mother," he said.
"What is it? Tell me quick!" she said, nervously.
"The ring has been stolen from me."
"How did it happen, Paul?"
"First, I must tell you how much the ring is worth. I went up toTiffany's, and showed the ring to Mr. Tiffany himself. He told methat he would give me two hundred and fifty dollars for it, if I wouldsatisfy him that I had a right to sell it."
"Two hundred and fifty dollars!" repeated Mrs. Hoffman, in amazement.
"Yes, the diamond is very large and pure."
"Two hundred and fifty dollars would be a great help to us."
"Yes, mother, that is what makes me feel so bad about being swindled outof it."
"Tell me how it happened. Is there no chance of recovering it?"
"A little. I shall do what I can. I have already notified the police,and Mr. Tiffany."
"You have not told me yet how you lost it."
When Paul had told the story, his mother asked, "Did you mention it inthe cars that you had offered it at Tiffany's?"
"Yes, and I mentioned his offer."
"Perhaps the thief would be cautious about going there, for that veryreason. He might think the ring would be recognized."
"He would go to a large place, thinking that so valuable a ring would bemore readily purchased there."
"He might go to Ball & Black's."
"That is true."
"It would be well to give notice there also."
"I will go up there at once. I only wish I could meet Mr. FelixMontgomery; I don't think he would find it so easy to outreach me asecond time."
"Take some dinner first, Paul."
"Then I must hurry it down, mother; I don't want to run the riskof getting too late to Ball & Black's. I can't help thinking what asplendid thing it would be if we had the two hundred and fifty dollars.I would buy out Barry's stand, and I would get a sewing-machine for you,and we could live much more comfortably. It makes me mad to think I letthat villain take me in so! He must think me jolly green."
"Anybody might have been deceived, Paul. You mustn't blame yourself toomuch for that."
Leaving Paul on his way to Ball & Black's, we return to Mr. FelixMontgomery, as we shall continue to call him, though he had no right tothe name. After stupefying Paul, as already described, he made his waydownstairs, and, leaving his key at the desk, went out.
"I hope my young friend will enjoy himself upstairs," he chuckled tohimself. "He's quite welcome to the use of the room till to-morrowmorning. It's paid for in advance, and I don't think I shall find itconvenient to stop there."
He took the ring from his vest pocket and glanced at it furtively.
"It's a beauty," he murmured, complacently. "I never saw a handsomerring of the size. What was it the boy said he was offered for it? Twohundred and fifty dollars! That'll give me a lift, and it doesn't comeany too soon. My money is pretty low."
He walked across the City Hall Park, and at Barclay street entered aUniversity place car.
"Evenin' paper, mister?" said a ragged newsboy, whose garments wereconstructed on the most approved system of ventilation.
"What have you got?"
"Evenin' Post, Mail, Express!"
"Give me an Express. Here's ten cents."
"I haven't got but three cents change, mister."
"Never mind the change," said Mr. Montgomery, in a fit of temporarygenerosity, occasioned by his good luck.
"Thank you, sir," said the newsboy, regarding Mr. Montgomery as aphilanthropist worthy of his veneration.
Felix Montgomery leaned back in his seat, and, with a benevolent smile,ran his eyes over the columns of the Express. Among the paragraphswhich attracted his attention was one relating to a comrade, of similarprofession, who had just been arrested in Albany while in the act ofrelieving a gentleman of his pocketbook.
"Jerry always was a bungler," said Mr. Montgomery, complacently, tohimself. "He can't hold a candle to me. I flatter myself that I know howto manage a little affair, like this, for instance, as well as the nextman. It'll take a sharp detective to lay hold of me."
It might have been thought that the manner in which he had gainedpossession of the ring would have troubled Mr. Montgomery, but it wasmany years since he had led an honest life. He had made a living byoverreaching others, and his conscience had become so blunted as tooccasion him little trouble. He appeared to think that the world owedhim a living, and that he was quite justified in collecting the debt inany way he could.
About twenty minutes brought the car to Amity street and Mr. Montgomerysignaled the conductor, and, the car being stopped, he got out.
He walked a few rods in a westerly direction, and paused before athree-story brick house, which appeared to have seen better days.
It was now used as a boarding, or rather lodging-house. The guests werenot of a very high character, the landlady not being particular as longas her rent was paid regularly. Mr. Montgomery ascended the steps ina jaunty way, and, opening the door with a passkey, ascended the frontstaircase. He paused before a room on the third floor, and knocked in apeculiar manner.
The door was opened by a tall woman, in rather neglected attire.
"So you're back," she said.
"Yes, my dear, home again. As the poet says, 'There is no place likehome.'"
"I should hope there wasn't," sai
d Mrs. Montgomery, looking about herdisdainfully. "A very delightful home it makes with such a charmingprospect of the back yard. I've been moping here all day."
"You've found something to console you, I see," said her husband,glancing at the table, on which might be seen a bottle of brandy,half-emptied, and a glass.
"Yes," said Mrs. Montgomery; "I felt so bad I had to send out forsomething. It took every cent I had. And, by the way, Mrs. Flagg sent inher bill, this morning, for the last two weeks' board; she said she musthave it."
"My dear," said Mr. Montgomery, "she shall have it."
"You don't mean to say you've got the money, Tony!" exclaimed his wife,in surprise.
"No, I haven't got the money; but I've got what's just as good."
"What have you got?"
"What do you say to this?" and Mr. Montgomery drew from his pocket thediamond ring, whose loss was so deeply felt by our hero.
"Is that genuine?" asked the lady.
"It's the real thing."
"What a beauty! Where did you get it?"
"It was kindly presented me by a young man of the tender age of fifteenor thereabouts, who had no further use for it."
"You did him out of it, that is. Tell me how you did it."
Mr. Montgomery told the story. His wife listened with interest andappreciation.
"That was a smart operation, Tony," she said.
"I should say it was, Maria."
"How much is the ring worth?"
"Two hundred and fifty dollars."
"Can you get that for it?"
"I can get that for it."
"Tony, you are a treasure."
"Have you just found that out, my dear?"