The lovely woman flushed crimson.

"No, I couldn't do that; I should not like to--to have it known that I
had been wearing such things," she said. "To be sure," she added, with a
quick upward glance that made her companion thrill with secret joy, "I
have confessed it to you, but you were so kind and sympathetic I--I
trusted you involuntarily."

"Thank you," Justin Cutler returned, a brilliant smile lighting his face,
and he longed to open his heart to her, but deemed it better to wait a
while. "Then, if you would not like to go with me, will you trust the
stones with me, and allow me to have them tested for you?"

"Of course I will, if you want to take that trouble; though," she added,
with a little skeptical laugh, as she removed the crescent from her other
ear and gave it to him, "I assure you the trust isn't such a responsible
one as you imagine."

"We shall see," he smilingly responded, as he put the ornaments carefully
in his purse and arose, "I shall submit them to some reliable dealer in
diamonds, get him to set a value upon them, and will inform you of the
verdict this evening."

"Thank you, Mr. Cutler--you are very kind to be so interested for me,"
the beautiful woman gratefully murmured.

"I would I might," the young man began, eagerly, then suddenly checked
himself and added, "might assist you in some way regarding your other
troubles."