"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