“I will, sir, at once.”

Maynard had already placed the small parcel in a drawer of the huge steel vault back of the counter, and he now resumed the work at which he had been engaged.

Mr. Garside sauntered toward the front of the store, and presently greeted a lady who entered.

Twenty minutes passed, and the incident of the diamonds was almost forgotten by both employer and clerk.

Soon both were reminded of it, however, by the entrance of another man—­a smooth-featured young fellow, with pale blue eyes, a sallow complexion, slightly pock-marked.  He was of medium height, and well put together, and was clad in a neat business suit of fashionable appearance.

Quickly approaching Mr. Garside, who was then disengaged, he tendered one of Thomas Hafferman’s business cards, and said, glibly, while bowing and laughing lightly: 

“Excuse me, Mr. Garside, but we rather owe you an apology.  Our Mr. Boyden left some diamonds with you a short time ago, which should have been delivered to Tiffany & Co.  Mr. Hafferman read the order without his spectacles, and it’s rather a good joke on him, for he thought it was signed Venner & Co.  The blunder was partly owing to the fact, no doubt, that Mr. Venner called to see him yesterday about some diamonds.”

“There!” exclaimed Garside, as if quite pleased to discover that he had been so nearly right.  “I knew well enough that Venner had not sent out any order without mentioning it to me.  Yes, your Mr. Boyden left the stones here.  For Tiffany & Co., eh?”

“Yes, sir, and they should have been delivered long ago,” was the reply, with a conventional laugh.  “If you please, I’ll leave them there on my way back.  Deucedly stupid blunder on Hafferman’s part, I’m sure; and I hope—­”

“Oh, there’s no harm done, I guess, and but little time lost,” interrupted Garside, joining in the other’s laugh.  “You will deliver them, you say?”

“If you please.”

“Here, Joseph, hand me that package of diamonds left here by Boyden.  They were sent to us by mistake.  I knew it well enough at the time.  Here you are, Mr. ——­”

“Raymond, sir.  I am cashier at Hafferman’s.  Many thanks.  Sorry to have troubled you—­very sorry.”

“No trouble at all,” laughed Garside, accompanying Mr. Raymond toward the street door.  “The trouble has been all yours, sir.”

“That’s quite true,” smiled Raymond, as he bowed himself out with the package of diamonds in his hand.  “But now the pleasure is all mine!” he added to himself, upon reaching the sidewalk.

Then he strode rapidly away, quickly losing himself in the midday stream of people thronging the famous New York thoroughfare.

Less than five minutes later, before any misgivings had crept into the mind of Mr. Garside, the senior member of the firm came hurrying into the store.

“Oh, I say, Venner!” exclaimed his partner, stopping him near the office door.  “What diamonds are you thinking of buying of Hafferman?”