help."

"This offer," Mr. Cutler resumed, "is to remain open to you for three
days, and you can take them to him within that time if you see fit, and
Mr. Arnold will give you the money."

Mrs. Bently made a sudden gesture of repulsion, her head drooped, a flush
swept up to her brow, and tears rushed to her eyes.

"Poor little woman!" said Justin Cutler to himself, "it humiliates her to
think of selling her jewels--of course it must."

Then he asked, after a moment of thought:

"Would you accept the amount that Mr. Arnold offered?"

"Why, yes, if--if you are sure that they are real, and think it would be
right for me to do so," she answered, with a somewhat troubled expression
on her fair face.

"Of course it will be perfectly right; the man knew what he was talking
about, for, as I told you, he is a diamond expert, and he examined them
with the utmost care."

"The amount would be very acceptable," said the fair widow, musingly,
"and I shall be glad to sell them; but--"

"The thought of going personally to sell your jewels humiliates you," the
generous-hearted young man added; "then let me do it for you, and relieve
you of the disagreeable task."