paul the peddler-第21章

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me　that　favor。〃



〃Then　there's　a　fair　chance　of　your　buying　me　out。〃



〃Yes。　　I　guess　I　can　settle　the　whole　thing　up　to…morrow。〃



〃Have　you　got　the　ring　with　you？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃I　should　like　to　see　it；　if　you　have　no　objection。〃



Paul　drew　it　from　his　pocket；　and　passed　it　over　to　Barry。



〃It's　a　handsome　one；　but　who　would　think　such　a　little　thing

could　be　worth　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars？〃



〃I'd　rather　have　the　money　than　the　ring。〃



〃So　would　I。〃



On　the　right　of　Paul　sat　a　man　of　about　forty；　well…dressed　and

respectable　in　appearance；　with　a　heavy　gold　chain　ostentatiously

depending　from　his　watch　pocket；　and　with　the　air　of　a

substantial　citizen。　　He　listened　to　the　conversation　between

Barry　and　Paul　with　evident　interest；　and　when　Barry　had　returned

the　ring；　he　said：



〃Young　gentleman；　would　you　be　kind　enough　to　let　me　look　at　your

ring？　　I　am　myself　in　business　as　a　jeweler　in　Syracuse；　and　so

feel　an　interest　in　examining　it。〃



〃Certainly；　sir；〃　said　Paul；　the　stranger's　explanation　of　his

motives　inspiring　him　with　perfect　confidence。



The　jeweler　from　Syracuse　took　the　ring　in　his　hands　and　appeared

to　examine　it　carefully。



〃This　is　a　handsome　ring；〃　he　said；　〃and　one　of　great　value。　　How

much　were　you　offered　for　it　at　Tiffany's？〃



〃Two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。〃



〃It　is　worth　more。〃



〃Yes；　I　suppose　so；〃　said　Paul；　〃but　he　has　to　sell　it；　and　make

a　profit。〃



〃He　could　do　that；　and　yet　make　a　profit。　　I　will　pay　you　two

hundred　and　seventy…five　dollars；　myselfthat　is；　on　one

condition。〃



〃I　don't　object　to　getting　twenty…five　dollars　more；〃　said　Paul。　

〃What　is　the　condition？〃



〃I　have　an　order　from　a　gentleman　for　a　diamond　ring　for　a　young

ladyan　engagement　ring；　in　short。　　If　this　suits　him；　as　I

think　it　will；　I　will　pay　you　what　I　said。　　I　can　easily　get

three　hundred　and　twenty…five　from　him。〃



〃How　are　you　going　to　find　out　whether　it　will　suit　him？〃



〃Easily。　　He　is　stopping　at　the　same　hotel　with　me。〃



〃What　hotel　is　that？〃



〃Lovejoy's。　　If　you　can　spare　the　time　and　will　come　with　me　now；

we　can　arrange　matters　at　once。　　By　the　way；　you　can　refer　me　to

some　responsible　citizen；　who　will　guarantee　you。　　Not；　of

course；　that　I　have　any　doubts；　but　we　business　men　are　forced　to

be　cautious。〃



Paul　mentioned　Mr。　Preston's　name。



〃Quite　satisfactory；〃　answered　the　jeweler。　　〃I　know　Mr。　Preston

personally；　and　as　I　am　pressed　for　time；　I　will　accept　his　name

without　calling　upon　him。　　What　is　your　name？〃



〃Paul　Hoffman。〃



〃I　will　note　it　down。〃



The　gentleman　from　Syracuse　drew　out　a　memorandum　book；　in　which

he　entered　Paul's　name。



〃When　you　see　Mr。　Preston；　just　mention　my　name；　Felix

Montgomery。〃



〃I　will　do　so。〃



〃Say；　if　you　please；　that　I　would　have　called　upon　him；　but；

coming　to　the　city　strictly　on　business；　was　too　hurried　to　do

so。〃



This　also　Paul　promised；　and　counted　himself　fortunate　in　falling

in　with　a　friend；　or；　at　all　events；　acquaintance　of　Mr。　Preston；

since　he　was　likely　to　make　twenty…five　dollars　more　than　he

would　otherwise　have　done。



When　he　got　out　of　the　car　at　the　Astor　House；　the　stranger　said：



〃It　will　be　half　an　hour　before　I　can　reach　Lovejoy's；　as　I　have

a　business　call　to　make　first。　　Can　you　call　there；　say；　in

three…quarters　of　an　hour？〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃Very　well；　then；　I　will　expect　you。　　Inquire　for　me　at　the　desk；

and　ask　the　servant　to　conduct　you　to　my　room　you　remember　my

name？〃



〃Yes；　sirMr。　Felix　Montgomery。〃



〃Quite　right。　　Good…by；　then；　till　we　meet。〃



Mr。　Felix　Montgomery　went　into　the　Astor　House；　and　remained

about　five　minutes。　　He　then　came　out　on　the　steps；　and；　looking

about　him　to　see　if　Paul　was　anywhere　near；　descended　the　steps；

and　walked　across　to　Lovejoy's　Hotel。　　Going　up　to　the　desk；　he

inquired：



〃Can　you　accommodate　me　with　a　room？〃



〃Yes；　sir；　please　enter　your　name。〃



The　stranger　entered　his　name　with　a　flourish；　as　Felix

Montgomery；　Syracuse。



〃Room　No。　237；〃　said　the　clerk；　〃will　you　go　up　now？〃



〃Yes；　I　think　so。〃



〃Any　luggage？〃



〃My　trunk　will　be　brought　from　the　St。　Nicholas　in　the　course　of

the　afternoon。〃



〃We　require　payment　in　advance　where　there　is　no　luggage。〃



〃Very　well。　　I　will　pay　for　one　day。　　I　am　not　sure　but　I　shall

get　through　my　business　in　time　to　go　away　to…morrow。〃



Here　the　servant　appeared　to　conduct　Mr。　Montgomery　to　his　room。



〃By　the　way；〃　he　said；　turning　back；　as　if　it　were　an

afterthought；　〃I　directed　a　boy　to　call　here　for　me　in　about　half

an　hour。　　When　he　comes　you　may　send　him　up　to　my　room。〃



〃Very　well；　sir。〃



Mr。　Montgomery　followed　the　servant　upstairs　to　room　No。　237。　

It　was　rather　high　up；　but　he　seemed　well　pleased　that　this　was

the　case。



〃Hope　you　won't　get　tired　of　climbing；　sir；〃　said　the　servant。



〃NoI've　got　pretty　good　wind。〃



〃Most　gentlemen　complain　of　going　up　so　far。〃



〃It　makes　little　difference　to　me。〃



At　length　they　reached　the　room；　and　Mr。　Montgomery　entered。



〃This　will　answer　very　well；〃　he　said；　with　a　hasty　glance　about

him。　　〃When　my　trunk　comes；　I　want　it　sent　up。〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃I　believe　that　is　all；　you　can　go。〃



The　servant　retired　and　Mr。　Felix　Montgomery　sat　down　upon　the

bed。



〃My　little　plot　seems　likely　to　succeed；〃　he　said　to　himself。　

〃I've　been　out　of　luck　lately；　but　this　boy's　ring　will　give　me　a

lift。　　He　can't　suspect　anything。　　He'll　be　sure　to　come。〃



Probably　the　reader　has　already　suspected　that　Mr。　Felix

Montgomery　was　not　a　jeweler　from　Syracuse；　nor　had　he　any　claim

to　the　name　under　which　he　at　present　figured。　　He　was　a　noted

confidence　man；　who　lived　by　preying　upon　the　community。　　His

appearance　was　in　his　favor；　and　it　was　his　practice　to　assume

the　dress　and　air　of　a　respectable　middle…aged　citizen；　as　in　the

present　instance。　　The　sight　of　the　diamond　ring　had　excited　his

cupidity；　and　he　had　instantly　formed　the　design　of　getting

possession　of　it；　if　possible。　　Thus　far；　his　plan　promised

success。



Meanwhile；　Paul　loitered　away　the　time　in　the　City　Hall　Park　for

half　an　hour　or　more。　　He　did　not　care　to　go　home　until　his

negotiation　was　complete；　and　he　could　report　the　ring　sold；　and

carry　home　the　money。



〃Won't　mother　be　astonished；〃　he　thought；　〃at　the　price　I　got　for

the　ring？　　I'm　in　luck　this　morning。〃



When　the　stipulated　time　had　passed；　Paul　rose　from　the　bench　on

which　he　was　seated；　and　walked　to　Lovejoy's　Hotel；　not　far

distant。



〃Has　Mr。　Felix　Montgomery　a　room　here？〃　he　asked。



〃Yes；〃　answered　the　clerk。　　〃Did　you　wish　to　see　him？〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃He　mentioned　that　a　boy　would　call　by　appointment。　　Here；　James；

show　this　boy　up　to　No。　237Mr。　Montgomery's　room。〃



A　hotel　servant　appeared；　and　Paul　followed　him　up　several

flights　of　stairs　till　they　stood　before　No。　237。



〃This　is　the　room；　sir；〃　said　James。　　〃Wait　a　minute；　and　I'll

knock。〃



In　answer　to　the　knock；　Mr。　Montgomery　himself　opened　the　door。



〃Come　in；〃　he　said　to　Paul；　〃I　was　expecting　you。〃



So　Paul；　not　suspecting　treachery；　entered　No。　237。







CHAPTER　XVIII



A　CLEVER　THIEF



〃Take　a　seat；〃　said　Mr。　Montgomery。　　〃My　friend　will　be　in

directly。　　Meanwhile　will　you　let　me　look　at　the　ring　once　more？〃



Paul　took　it　from　his　pocket；　and　handed　it　to　the　jeweler　from

Syracuse；　as　he　supposed　him　to　be。



Mr。　Montgomery　took　it　to　the　window；　and　appeared　to　be

examining　it　carefully。



He　stood　with　his　back　to　Paul；　but　this　did　not　excite　suspicion

on　the　part　of　our　hero。



〃I　am　quite　sure；〃　he　said；　still　standing　with　his　back　to　Paul；

〃that　this　will　please　my　friend。　　From　the　instructions　he　gave

me；　it　is　precisely　what　he　wanted。〃



While　utteri