Now he could but wish that she would withhold her withering hand from such poor values as she and hers had left him in life. He did not understand her latest demonstration. But for Hildegarde’s pellucid candor he might never have dreamed of Mrs. Floyd-Rosney’s covert interest in a proposition made to him by the senior partner of a firm of prominent jewelers, looking to the purchase of the diamond necklace found among the jewels at Duciehurst, now lying in a safety deposit vault. Ducie curtly refused to entertain an offer. Then he as curtly asked: “But why should you think I would wish to sell it?” Mr. Dazzle was visibly embarrassed, but still rational. “The idea was suggested to me, as the stones are of great--well--ahem--considerable value, and you have no ladies in your family.” “Not at present,” said Randal, stiffly. “True--true; you might care to retain them if you should marry. But as they are so far beyond the pretensions of present-day ornaments, something more suitable--and--and your being extensively interested in cotton planting where money can be used to advantage----” “And lost to disadvantage, too,” said Ducie, grimly. “True--true--but the diamonds being wholly unproductive--they are cut in the old style, too, which tends to reduce their value----” “You wouldn’t have an antique necklace with diamonds cut in the present style?” “No--no; I was considering them as disassociated from their setting, which is very rare of workmanship--that is--I thought--the idea was suggested to me”--Mr. Dazzle did not intend to imperil his soul by lying in anybody’s interest--“the idea was suggested to me that perhaps you might care to sell.” “Not at all. The necklace is reserved as a bridal gift,” said Ducie, precipitately. “And a most magnificent one,” declared Mr. Dazzle, his face beaming with the enthusiasm befitting his vocation. “I hope you will give us the commission to clean and put the necklace in order, see to the clasp, which should be renewed, possibly, as a precaution against loss,--all those details. It will appear to twice the advantage that it did when I saw it at the time you and your brother had it appraised with a view to dividing the valuables found at Duciehurst.”