Only a girl stenographer, seated at a typewriter near the office door, replied: 

“I think Mr. Venner sent Spaulding out about half an hour ago, sir,” she replied.  “I saw him give Spaulding several letters.”

“Ah, doubtless it’s all right enough,” bowed Garside; “yet I wonder that I had heard nothing about it.  Joseph, has Spaulding been here within a few minutes?”

“No, sir,” replied the clerk, the same who had at first been questioned.  “I saw him go out just before Mr. Venner departed, and he has not yet returned.”

Garside had now reached the middle of the store again, where Boyden was still waiting.

“Are you quite sure that the order came from Mr. Venner?” he again inquired.  “How long ago was the messenger at your store?”

“About half an hour ago, sir,” Boyden readily answered.  “The order was, I presume, signed by Mr. Venner.”

“Was it our man Spaulding who delivered the order?  Do you know him by sight?”

“I do not, sir.  Joseph Maynard, yonder, is the only clerk here with whom I am acquainted, and I think he will vouch for me,” said Boyden, now beginning to smile at Garside’s manifest caution over receiving the diamonds.  “Surely, sir, no harm can come from your keeping the stones until Mr. Venner returns, since I am willing to leave them with you,” he added, laughing.

“Oh, no, no—­I wasn’t thinking of that,” Garside quickly answered.  “I wished only to avoid the needless trouble of returning them, in case the order did not come from us.”

“I think the order was all right, Mr. Garside.  Besides, sir, I saw Mr. Venner yesterday at our store, examining some diamonds.  Doubtless these are the same.”

“Oh, if that’s the case, leave them, by all means,” Garside cried.  “I was not aware that he had called there.  Probably they are for some order of which he has personal charge.  Yes, yes, Mr. Boyden, leave them, certainly.  Here, Joseph, place the package in one of the vault drawers, and hand it to Mr. Venner when he returns.  Sorry to have detained you so long, Mr. Boyden.  Had you begun by stating that Venner called yesterday upon Mr. Hafferman, I should not have demurred over the matter.”

“There’s no harm done, Mr. Garside, none whatever,” replied Boyden, bowing and smiling.  “I appreciate your caution, sir.  If there proves to have been any mistake in ordering them, you can easily return the stones.  Good-morning, sir.”

Garside replied with a nod over his shoulder, having turned to hand the parcel to his clerk back of the counter, and Boyden immediately departed.

“Is that young man an acquaintance of yours, Maynard?” inquired Mr. Garside.

“Yes, sir.  He has been with Hafferman for several years.”

“Doubtless it’s all right, then.  Odd, though, that Venner should have made no mention to me of this order.  Hand him the package as soon as he comes in.”