"Here is my hand on it," he said; and he laid his wrinkled hand for a minute in her little white one. "Then it is just this," said Annie. "I have a dear, dear uncle in England--Uncle Maurice. He is a clergyman; he is awfully good and sweet, and he is not at all well, and he is not rich, although he has enough. I am most anxious to send him a little present, something all from myself. Now I happened to get this to-day," and she took a box from where it lay concealed in the folds of her dress. "I got this to-day at Zick's, the jeweller's. You must not ask me what I paid for it. I assure you it was not a great deal, but I am under the impression that it is worth far more than Zick has any idea of. I--I want to sell it in order to send a little present to dear Uncle Maurice, and you are such a judge of gems and precious stones of all sorts. May I show it to you? The fact is, I got it as a great bargain; but if you could tell me what I ought to ask for it, it would be such a help in disposing of it again. Do you think you could--and--_would_?" Mr Manchuri gave Annie a long glance. It was the first very observant glance that he had given her. Hitherto he had simply regarded her as a nice, well-mannered, pleasant little girl, who did not mind amusing an old man with little nothings of conversation and little scraps of local news; but now it seemed to him all of a sudden that he saw something more in her face. "And how," he asked after a pause--"how is it, Miss Annie Brooke, that you happen to know that I am a judge of gems and precious stones?" Annie did not expect this question, and in consequence she coloured very vividly. After a pause she said: "I am always fond of putting two and two together; and don't you remember that evening when you told me the wonderful story of the Duchess of Martinborough's bracelet, and--and--about the ring that was stolen and sought for afterwards by the Secret Service people?" "Yes, I remember quite well. Well, go on." "I thought what a lot you knew about those things. Don't you?" "Bless your heart, child!" he said, "I am in that trade myself; I have made a pretty snug fortune in it. Yes, I can glance at your little bargain and tell you, if you like, whether it is a bargain or not." "And you remember your promise; you will never tell any one?" "Honour bright," was his answer. She then put the box into his hand. He opened it, and took out the old necklace with its pearls of various sizes and different shapes, and its very quaint, old-world setting. Annie glanced at him and saw a subtle change creep over his face. He had hitherto regarded the whole thing as a joke. Annie Brooke, child as she was, could not possibly know a bargain when she saw it, and those Swiss fellows were as sharp as knives and never let anything good escape them. And yet, and yet--here was something of real merit. Those centre pearls were distinguished--round and smooth and of the most exquisite colour.