. "Kind made of chain, with diamonds and sapphires along the
top."

He was shown the stock; saw nothing apparently which struck his fancy, and
was off like a shot in search of the next name on his list.

At this place lived a bag which, so far as he could remember, seemed the
duplicate of Mrs. May's except that the stones alternating with the
diamonds were emeralds instead of sapphires.

"Just keep that thing for twenty minutes," said he. "I'll come back to
tell you whether I'll take it or not, and what I want done to it, if I
do."

"Another gentleman was in to-day looking at that bag," said the attendant.
"If he comes before you, I must let him have it."

"What price did you make for him?" asked Nick.

"Seven hundred and seventy-five dollars," was the reply.

"Well, will you do a little gamble? Keep it till I come in, and if I take
it I'll pay eight hundred. If I don't, you can have twenty-five dollars
interest on your time."

The attendant laughed. "We don't do business that way. But I guess I can
promise to keep the bag till you come back, if you hurry."

Nick did hurry, and visited three other shops within ten minutes, though
they were at some distance from each other. He found nothing to suit him.

"I'll take that bag, if you can change the stones and put in sapphires
instead of emeralds," he announced, somewhat breathlessly, wiping his
forehead. "I know it will come dearer. But I'm willing to pay."

"When would you want it?" asked the shopman.

"To-morrow morning by ten o'clock at latest."

"Oh, impossible!"

"I don't know much about that word," said Nick. "We've cut it out of the
dictionary up my way. Offer your men what they want to do night work, and
I guess they'll name a price."

After all, even in a smart jewellery shop they do not sell a gold bag
every day; and a point was stretched to gratify the purchaser, who had a
way which made people glad to please him.

He went back to his hotel, feeling guilty but happy. "She's going to have
a gold bag, anyhow," he thought. "I don't believe she'll ever know the
difference." And Nick began to rejoice that the old bag would never be
found. It would be splendid to know that she was using a thing _he_ had
given her. If the other bag did turn up, the police would let him know.
That was arranged; and he would manage somehow.

"Only to think," he said to himself, "a year ago I might have been as wild
to do this deal as I am now, but I couldn't have run