"Not fully."

"Why so?"

"He was afraid it might not be solid. In fact, so anxious was he on
this point, that he took the ring to your neighbour, over the way, to
get his opinion about it."

As Mr. Harrison said this, Grant was conscious that a betrayal of the
truth was on his countenance.

"And, of course, Martin said the ring was not solid."

"No, he did not exactly say that. I went with the gentleman, at his
request. Martin weighed the ring, and, after doing so, simply stated
that gold of the quality of which the ring was made was worth a certain
price per pennyweight. By multiplying the number of pennyweights
contained in the ring with the price mentioned, he showed that you
either lost one dollar on the ring, or filled the centre with some
baser metal."

"Well?" The blood had, by this time, risen to the very brow of the
jeweller.

"'Cut the ring,' said my friend. It was done, and, to my mortification
and astonishment, it proved to be even as he had said. The ring was not
solid!"

For some moments, Mr. Grant hung his head in painful confusion. Then,
looking up, he said--

"It was his own fault."

"How so?" was inquired.

"He would not pay the price for a solid ring, and I could not give him
my work for nothing."

"Did you ask him a fair price?"

"Yes; and he answered, that my neighbour over the way had offered to
make him a solid ring, for just one dollar less. I knew exactly what
kind of a ring Martin could and would furnish for that money, and made
him one just like it. I gave him his money's worth, and a little over.
He was not cheated."

"But he was deceived. How you could have done such a thing, brother
Grant, is more than I can understand."

"I had to do it in self-defence; and this very Martin, who has been so
ready to expose the little deception, made the act necessary."

"I'm sorry you should have done so. It was wrong," said Mr. Harrison.

"I'm ready to acknowledge that. But it's too late, now, to repair the
error. I wish I'd had nothing to do with the matter."

"So do I," remarked Harrison.

This fretted the mind of Grant, and he replied, rather impatiently--

"Hereafter, I hope you'll send all customers of this kind to Martin.
Dear knows, I don't want them!"

"I shall certainly be careful in this matter," coldly replied Harrison,
and bowing formally, as he spoke, turned away, and left Grant in no
very pleasant frame of mind. From that time there was a coldness
between th