"I am not able to say, madame," his honor courteously replied, "but I
should like to have them examined by an expert and proved."

Mr. Palmer here stated that he could settle the question if he were
allowed to examine them.

Both cases were passed to him, and after closely inspecting the crescents
for a moment or two, he returned them, with the remark:

"The stones are _all_ paste, but a remarkably good imitation. I should
judge that they had been submitted to a certain solution or varnish,
which has recently been discovered, and is used to simulate the
brilliancy of diamonds, but which, if the stones are dropped in alcohol,
will dissolve and vanish."

"Impossible!" Mrs. Vanderheck protested, with some warmth. "It _cannot_
be that I have worn paste ornaments for more than three years, and never
discovered the fact."

"It is not strange that you were deceived," the gentleman replied,
glancing at the glittering gems, "for I think that only an expert could
detect the fact, they are such a clever imitation of genuine gems."

"I cannot believe it," the lady persisted, "for Mrs. Bent was not out
of my sight a moment, from the time the expert in Boston pronounced his
verdict, until they were delivered to roe in my room at the hotel."

"Nevertheless," Mr. Palmer positively affirmed, "the woman must have
adroitly managed to change the crescents on the way back, substituting