paul the peddler-第25章

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her　to　entertain　doubts　as　to　the　discernment　of　her　clerical

visitor。



〃You　know　him；　then？〃



〃I　know　him　as　myself；　madam。　　Have　you　never　heard　him　mention

the　name　of　Rev。　Mr。　Barnes；　of　Hayfield　Centre；　Connecticut？〃



〃I　can't　say　I　have；〃　answered　the　landlady。



〃That　is　singular。　　We　were　always　very　intimate。　　We　attended

the　same　school　as　boys；　and；　in　fact；　were　like　Damon　and

Pythias。〃



Mrs。　Flagg　had　never　heard　of　Damon　and　Pythias；　still　she

understood　the　comparison。



〃You're　in　rather　a　different　line　now；〃　she　remarked；　dryly。



〃Yes；　our　positions　are　different。　　My　friend　dwells　in　the　busy

metropolis；　while　I　pass　a　quiet；　peaceful　existence　in　a

secluded　country　village；　doing　what　good　I　can。　　But；　my　dear；

we　are　perhaps　detaining　this　worthy　lady　from　her　domestic

avocations。　　I　think　we　must　be　going。〃



〃Very　well；　I　am　ready。〃



The　first　sound　of　her　voice　drew　the　attention　of　the　landlady。　

Mrs。　Felix　Montgomery　possessed　a　thin　somewhat　shrill；　voice；

which　she　was　unable　to　conceal；　and；　looking　attentively　at　her；

Mrs。　Flagg　penetrated　her　disguise。　　Then；　turning　quickly　to　the

gentleman；　aided　by　her　new　discovery；　she　also　recognized　him。



〃Well；　I　declare；〃　said　she；　〃if　you　didn't　take　me　in

beautifully。〃



Mr。　Montgomery　laughed　heartily。



〃You　wouldn't　know　me；　then？〃　he　said。



〃You're　got　up　excellent；〃　said　Mrs。　Flagg；　with　a　slight

disregard　for　grammar。　　〃Is　it　a　joke？〃



〃Yes；　a　little　practical　joke。　　We're　going　to　call　on　some

friends　and　see　if　they　know　us。〃



〃You'd　do　for　the　theatre；〃　said　the　landlady；　admiringly。



〃I　flatter　myself　I　might　have　done　something　on　the　stage；　if　my

attention　had　been　turned　that　way。　　But；　my　dear；　we　must　be

moving；　or　we　shan't　get　through　our　calls。〃



〃I　wonder　what　mischief　they　are　up　to　now；〃　thought　Mrs。　Flagg；

as　she　followed　them　to　the　door。　　〃I　know　better　than　to　think

they'd　take　the　trouble　to　dress　up　that　way　just　to　take　in

their　friends。　　No；　they're　up　to　some　game。　　Not　that　I　care；　as

long　as　they　get　money　enough　to　pay　my　bill。〃



So　the　worldly…wise　landlady　dismissed　them　from　her　thoughts；

and　went　about　her　work。



Mr。　Barnes　and　his　wife　walked　up　toward　Broadway　at　a　slow；

decorous　pace；　suited　to　the　character　they　had　assumed。　　More

than　one　who　met　them　turned　back　to　look　at　what　they　considered

a　perfect　type　of　the　country　minister　and　his　wife。　　They　would

have　been　not　a　little　surprised　to　learn　that　under　this　quiet

garb　walked　two　of　the　most　accomplished　swindlers　in　a　city

abounding　in　adventurers　of　all　kinds。



Mr。　Barnes　paused　a　moment　to　reprove　a　couple　of　urchins　who

were　pitching　pennies　on　the　sidewalk。



〃Don't　you　know　that　it's　wrong　to　pitch　pennies？〃　he　said

gravely。



〃None　of　your　chaff；　mister；〃　retorted　one　of　the　street　boys；

irreverently。　　〃When　did　you　come　from　the　country；　old　Goggles？〃



〃My　son；　you　should　address　me　with　more　respect。〃



〃Just　get　out　of　the　way；　mister！　　I　don't　want　to　hear　no

preachin'。〃



〃I　am　afraid　you　have　been　badly　brought　up；　my　son。〃



〃I　ain't　your　son；　and　I　wouldn't　be　for　a　shillin'。　　Just　you　go

along；　and　let　me　alone！〃



〃A　sad　case　of　depravity；　my　dear；〃　remarked　Mr。　Barnes　to　his

wife。　　〃I　fear　we　must　leave　these　boys　to　their　evil　ways。〃



〃You'd　better；〃　said　one　of　the　boys。



〃They're　smart　little　rascals！〃　　said　Mr。　Montgomery；　when　they

were　out　of　hearing　of　the　boys。　　〃I　took　them　in；　though。　　They

thought　I　was　the　genuine　article。〃



〃We'd　better　not　waste　any　more　time；〃　said　his　wife。　　〃That　boy

might　get　out；　you　know；　and　give　us　trouble。〃



〃I　don't　believe　he　will　get　out　in　a　hurry。　　I　locked　the　door

and　he'd　have　to　pound　some　time　before　he　could　make　any　one

hear；　I　declare；　I　should　like　to　see　how　he　looked　when　he

recovered　from　his　stupor；　and　realized　that　his　ring　was　gone。〃



〃What　sort　of　boy　was　he；　Tony？〃



〃Better　not　call　me　by　that　name；　my　dear。　　It　might　be　heard；

you　know；　and　might　not　be　considered　in　character。　　As　to　your

question；　he　was　by　no　means　a　stupid　boy。　　Rather　sharpish；　I

should　say。〃



〃Then　how　came　he　to　let　you　take　him　in？〃



〃As　to　that；　I　claim　to　be　rather　sharp　myself；　and　quite　a　match

even　for　a　smart　boy。　　I　haven't　knocked　about　the　world

forty…four　years　for　nothing。〃



They　were　now　in　Broadway。　　Turning　the　corner　of　Amity　street；

they　walked　a　short　distance　downtown；　and　paused　before　the

handsome　jewelry　store　of　Ball　&　Black。



〃I　think　we　had　better　go　in　here；〃　said　Felix　Montgomery（I

hesitate　a　little　by　which　of　his　numerous　names　to　call　him）。



〃Why　not　go　to　Tiffany's？〃



〃I　gather　from　what　the　boy　told　me　that　the　ring　has　already

been　offered　there。　　It　would　be　very　likely　to　be　recognized　and

that　would　be　awkward；　you　know。〃



〃Are　you　sure　the　ring　has　not　been　offered　here？　　asked　his

wife。



〃Quite　sure。　　The　boy　would　have　mentioned　it；　had　such　been　the

case。〃



〃Very　well。　　Let　us　go　in　then。〃



The　Rev。　Mr。　Barnes　and　his　wife；　of　Hayfield　Centre；　entered

the　elegant　store；　and　ten　minutes　later　Paul　Hoffman　entered

also；　and　took　his　station　at　the　counters　wholly　unconscious　of

the　near　proximity　of　the　man　who　had　so　artfully　swindled　him。







CHAPTER　XXI



PAUL　IS　CHECKMATED



On　entering　the　large　jewelry　store　Mr。　Montgomery　and　his　wife

walked　to　the　rear　of　the　store；　and　advanced　to　the　counter；

behind　which　stood　a　clerk　unengaged。



〃What　shall　I　show　you？〃　he　inquired



〃I　didn't　come　to　purchase；〃　said　Mr。　Montgomery；　with　suavity；

〃but　to　sell。　　I　suppose　you　purchase　jewelry　at　times？〃



〃Sometimes；〃　said　the　clerk。　　〃Let　me　see　what　you　have。〃



〃First；〃　said　the　adventurer；　〃let　me　introduce　myself。　　I　am　the

Rev。　Mr。　Barnes；　of　Hayfield　Centre；　Connecticut。　　You　perhaps

know　the　place？〃



〃I　don't　think　I　remember　it；〃　said　the　clerk；　respectfully。



〃It　is　a　small　place；〃　said　Mr。　Montgomery；　modestly；　〃but　my

tastes　are　plain　and　unobtrusive；　and　I　do　not　aspire　to　a　more

conspicuous　post。　　However；　that　is　not　to　the　purpose。　　A　lady

parishioner；　desiring　to　donate　a　portion　of　her　wealth　to　the

poor；　has　placed　in　my　hand　a　diamond　ring；　the　proceeds　to　be

devoted　to　charitable　objects。　　I　desire　to　sell　it；　and；　knowing

the　high　reputation　of　your　firm　feel　safe　in　offering　it　to　you。



I　know　very　little　of　the　value　of　such　things；　since　they　are

not　in　my　line；　but　I　am　sure　of　fair　treatment　at　your　hands。〃



〃You　may　depend　upon　that；〃　said　the　clerk；　favorably　impressed

with　the　appearance　and　manners　of　his　customer。　　〃Allow　me　to

see　the　ring。〃



The　brilliant　was　handed　over　the　counter。



〃It　is　quite　valuable；〃　said　he；　scrutinizing　it　closely。



〃So　I　supposed；　as　the　lady　is　possessed　of　wealth。　　You　may　rely

upon　its　being　genuine。〃



〃I　am　not　authorized　to　purchase；　said　the　clerk；　〃but　I　will

show　it　to　one　of　the　firm。〃



Just　at　that　moment；　Mr。　Montgomery；　chancing　to　look　toward　the

door；　was　startled　by　seeing　the　entrance　of　Paul　Hoffman。　　He

saw　that　it　would　be　dangerous　to　carry　the　negotiation　any

farther　and　he　quickly　gave　a　secret　signal　to　his　wife。



The　hint　was　instantly　understood　and　acted　upon。



Mrs。　Montgomery　uttered　a　slight　cry；　and　clung　to　her　husband's

arm。



〃My　dear；〃　she　said；　〃I　feel　one　of　my　attacks　coming　on。　　Take

me　out　quickly。



〃My　wife　is　suddenly　taken　sick；〃　said　Mr。　Montgomery；　hurriedly。



〃She　is　subject　to　fits。　　If　you　will　give　me　the　ring；　I　will

return　to…morrow　and　negotiate　for　its　sale。〃



〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　said　the　clerk；　with　sympathy；　handing　back

the　ring。　　〃Can　I　get　anything　for　the　lady？〃



〃No；　thank　you。　　The　best　thing　to　do　is　to　get　her　into　the　open

air。　　Thank　you　for