tever they say it is worth. They are
first-class houses, and we can depend upon fair treatment."

"Your advice is good, Paul. I think we will follow it. When will you
go?"

"I will go at once. I have nothing else to do, and I would like to find
out as soon as I can how much it will bring. Old Henderson wanted me
to think, at first, that it was only imitation, and offered me twenty
shillings on it. He's an old cheat. When he found that I wasn't to be
humbugged, he raised his offer by degrees to twenty-five dollars. That
was what made me suspect its value."

"If you get a hundred dollars, Paul," said Jimmy, "you can buy out the
stand."

"That depends on whether mother will lend me the money," said Paul. "You
know it's hers. She may not be willing to lend without security."

"I am so unaccustomed to being a capitalist," said Mrs. Hoffman,
smiling, "that I shan't know how to sustain the character. I don't think
I shall be afraid to trust you, Paul."

Once more, with the ring carefully wrapped in a paper and deposited in
his pocketbook, Paul started uptown. Tiffany, whose fame as a jeweler
is world-wide, was located on Broadway. He had not yet removed to his
present magnificent store on Union Square.

Paul knew the store, but had never entered it. Now, as he entered, he
was struck with astonishment at the sight of the immense and costly
stock, unrivaled by any similar establishment, not only in the United
States, but in Europe. Our hero walked up to the counter, and stood
beside a richly-dressed lady who was bargaining for a costly bracelet.
He had to wait ten minutes while the lady was making her choice from a
number submitted to her for inspection. Finally she selected one, and
paid for it. The clerk, now being at leisure, turned to our hero and
asked:--

"Well, young man, what can I do for you?"

"I have a ring which I should like to show you. I want to know how much
it is worth."

"Very well. Let me see it."

When Paul produced the diamond ring, the clerk, who had long been in the
business, and perceived its value at once, started in surprise.

"This is a very valuable ring," he said.

"So I thought," said Paul. "How much is it worth?"

"Do you mean how much should we ask for it?"

"No; how much would you give for it?"

"Probably two hundred and fifty dollars." Paul was quite startled on
finding the ring so much more valuable than he had supposed. He had
thought it might possibly be worth a hundred d