to　Mr。　Tiffany；　and　he　will　no　doubt　give　orders　to　detain　any
  person　who　may　offer　the　ring　for　sale。〃
  〃Thank　you。〃
  〃If　you　will　give　me　your　address；　we　will　notify　you　in　case　the
  ring　is　brought　in。〃
  Paul　left　his　address；　and　went　out　of　the　store；　feeling　that　he
  had　taken　one　step　toward　the　recovery　of　his　treasure。　　He　next
  visited　the　police　headquarters；　and　left　a　detailed　description
  of　the　man　who　had　relieved　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　to
  Tiffany's；　and　showed　the　ring　to　Mr。　Tiffany　himself。　　He　told
  me　that　he　would　give　me　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　for　it；　if
  I　would　satisfy　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　out　of　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　in　the　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
  very　reason。　　He　might　think　the　ring　would　be　recognized。〃
  〃He　would　go　to　a　large　place；　thinking　that　so　valuable　a　ring
  would　be　more　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。　Felix
  Montgomery；　I　don't　think　he　would　find　it　so　easy　to　outreach　me
  a　second　time。〃
  〃Take　some　dinner　first；　Paul。〃
  〃Then　I　must　hurry　it　down；　mother；　I　don't　want　to　run　the　risk
  of　getting　too　late　to　Ball　&　Black's。　　I　can't　help　thinking
  what　a　splendid　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　let　that　villain　take　me　in　so！　　He
  must　think　me　jolly　green。〃
  〃Anybody　might　have　been　deceived；　Paul。　　You　mustn't　blame
  yourself　too　much　for　that。〃
  Leaving　Paul　on　his　way　to　Ball　&　Black's；　we　return　to　Mr。　Felix
  Montgomery；　as　we　shall　continue　to　call　him；　though　he　had　no
  right　to　the　name。　　After　stupefying　Paul；　as　already　described；
  he　made　his　way　downstairs；　and；　leaving　his　key　at　the　desk；
  went　out。
  〃I　hope　my　young　friend　will　enjoy　himself　upstairs；〃　he　chuckled
  to　himself。　　〃He's　quite　welcome　to　the　use　of　the　room　till
  to…morrow　morning。　　It's　paid　for　in　advance；　and　I　don't　think　I
  shall　find　it　convenient　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
  handsomer　ring　of　the　size。　　What　was　it　the　boy　said　he　was
  offered　for　it？　　Two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars！　　That'll　give　me
  a　lift；　and　it　doesn't　come　any　too　soon。　　My　money　is　pretty
  low。〃
  He　walked　across　the　City　Hall　Park；　and　at　Barclay　street
  entered　a　University　place　car。
  〃Evenin'　paper；　mister？〃　said　a　ragged　newsboy；　whose　garments
  were　constructed　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
  temporary　generosity；　occasioned　by　his　good　luck。
  〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　the　newsboy；　regarding　Mr。　Montgomery　as　a
  philanthropist　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
  paragraphs　which　attracted　his　attention　was　one　relating　to　a
  comrade；　of　similar　profession；　who　had　just　been　arrested　in
  Albany　while　in　the　act　of　relieving　a　gentleman　of　his
  pocketbook。
  〃Jerry　always　was　a　bungler；〃　said　Mr。　Montgomery；　complacently；
  to　himself。　　〃He　can't　hold　a　candle　to　me。　　I　flatter　myself
  that　I　know　how　to　manage　a　little　affair；　like　this；　for
  instance；　as　well　as　the　next　man。　　It'll　take　a　sharp　detective
  to　lay　hold　of　me。〃
  It　might　have　been　thought　that　the　manner　in　which　he　had　gained
  possession　of　the　ring　would　have　troubled　Mr。　Montgomery；　but　it
  was　many　years　since　he　had　led　an　honest　life。　　He　had　made　a
  living　by　overreaching　others；　and　his　conscience　had　become　so
  blunted　as　to　occasion　him　little　trouble。　　He　appeared　to　think
  that　the　world　owed　him　a　living；　and　that　he　was　quite　justified
  in　collecting　the　debt　in　any　way　he　could。
  About　twenty　minutes　brought　the　car　to　Amity　street　and　Mr。
  Montgomery　signaled　the　conductor；　and；　the　car　being　stopped；　he
  got　out。
  He　walked　a　few　rods　in　a　westerly　direction；　and　paused　before　a
  three…story　brick　house；　which　appeared　to　have　seen　better　days。
  It　was　now　used　as　a　boarding；　or　rather　lodging…house。　　The
  guests　were　not　of　a　very　high　character；　the　landlady　not　being
  particular　as　long　as　her　rent　was　paid　regularly。　　Mr。
  Montgomery　ascended　the　steps　in　a　jaunty　way；　and；　opening　the
  door　with　a　passkey；　ascended　the　front　staircase。　　He　paused
  before　a　room　on　the　third　floor；　and　knocked　in　a　peculiar
  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
  like　home。'　〃
  〃I　should　hope　there　wasn't；〃　said　Mrs。　Montgomery；　looking　about
  her　disdainfully。　　〃A　very　delightful　home　it　makes　with　such　a
  charming　prospect　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　for
  something。　　It　took　every　cent　I　had。　　And；　by　the　way；　Mrs。
  Flagg　sent　in　her　bill；　this　morning；　for　the　last　two　weeks'
  board；　she　said　she　must　have　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　the　diamond　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
  fifteen　or　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
  and　appreciation。
  〃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？〃
  CHAPTER　XX
  THE　THIEF　IN　DISGUISE
  It　will　be　inferred；　from　the　preceding　conversation；　that　Mrs。
  Montgomery　was　not　likely　to　be　shocked　by　the　lack　of　honesty　in
  her　husband。　　Her　conscience　was　as　elastic　as　his；　and　she　was
  perfectly　willing　to　help　him　spend　his　unlawful　gains。
  〃How　soon　are　you　going　to　sell　the　ring？〃　she　asked。
  〃I　should　like　to　dispose　of　it　at　once；　Maria。〃
  〃You　will　need　to。　　Mrs。　Flagg　wants　her　bill　paid　at　once。〃
  〃I　quite　understand　the　necessity　of　promptness；　my　dear。　　Only；
  you　know；　one　has　to　be　cautious　about　disposing　of　articles
  obtained　in　this　way。〃
  〃You　say　you　left　the　boy　locked　up。　　It　seems　to　me；　you'd
  better　sell　the　ring　before　he　has　a　chance　to　get　out　and
  interfere。〃
  〃I　don't　know　but　you're　right；　my　dear。　　Well；　we'll　get　ready。〃
  〃Do　you　want　me　to　go　with　you？〃
  〃Yes；　it　will　disarm　suspicion　if　you　are　with　me。　　I　think　I'll
  go　as　a　country　parson。〃
  〃Country　parsons　are　not　apt　to　have　diamond　rings　to　dispose
  of。〃
  〃Very　true；　my　dear。　　The　remark　does　credit　to　your　good
  judgment　and　penetratio