"I have a lot to
do - no time to fool away. When I found that I could see the
jewels to-night I concluded to pick you up on my way down. I
didn't find out about it in time to let you know."
Hargrave told her that he would be very glad to give her the
benefit of his experience.
"Glad, nonsense!" she said. "I'll pay your fee. Do you know a
jewel when you see it?"
"I think I do, madam," he replied.
She moved with energy.
"It won't do to think," she said. "I have got to know. I don't
buy junk."
He tried to carry himself up to her level with a laugh.
"I assure you, madam," he said, "our house is not accustomed to
buy junk. It's a perfectly simple matter to tell a spurious
jewel."
And he began to explain the simple, decisive tests. But she did
not listen to him.
"I don't care how a vet knows that a hunter's sound. All that I
want to be certain about is that he does know it. I don't want
to buy hunters on my own hook. Neither do I want to buy jewels
on what I know about them. If you know, that's all I care about
it. And you must know or old Bartholdi wouldn't trust you.
That's what I'm going on.
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