ancy rings, agreeable to the directions I
should give him. The three rings I had viewed, were now removed
to the end of the counter next the window, and I informed the
young man that I wished to have something of a cluster, a large
brilliant in the centre, surrounded with smaller ones; but
repeated my desire that no expense might be spared to render
the article strictly elegant, and worthy a lady's acceptance.
The son having sketched a design of several rings on a card, I
examined them with attention, and appeared in doubt which to
prefer, but desired to see some loose diamonds, in order to
form a better idea of the size, &c. of each ring described in
the drawing. Mr. Bilger, however, declared he had not any by
him. It is probable he spoke truth, or he might have lost such
numbers by showing them, as to deter him from exhibiting them
in future. Without having made up my mind on the subject, I now
requested to see some of his most fashionable brooches, or
shirt-pins. Mr. Bilger produced a show-glass, containing a
great variety of articles in pearl, but he had nothing of the
kind in diamonds. I took up two or three of the brooches, and
immediately _sunk_ a very handsome one, marked three guineas,
in my coat sleeve. I next purloined a beautiful clasp for a
lady's waist, consisting of stones set in gold, which had the
appearance and brilliancy of real diamonds, but marked only
four guineas. I should probably have gone still deeper, but at
this moment a lady coming in, desired to look at some
ear-rings, and the younger Mr. Bilger immediately quitted his
father to attend upon her at the other end of the shop. It
struck me that now was my time for a decisive stroke. The card
containing the diamond rings, procured from the maker, lying
very near the show-glass I was viewing, and many small articles
irregularly placed round about them, the candles not throwing
much light on that particular spot, and Mr. Bilger's attention
being divided between myself and the lady, to whom he
frequently addressed himself, I suddenly took the three rings
from the card, and committed them to my sleeve, to join the
brooch and lady's clasp; but had them so situated, that I
could, in a moment, have released and replaced them on the
counter, had an inquiry been made for