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had already made？ He resolved to approach it gradually。
Surveying it more closely； he said：
〃It is an excellent imitation。 I will give you five dollars。〃
Paul was not without natural shrewdness； and this sudden advance
convinced him that it was； after all； a real stone。 He
determined to get twenty dollars or carry the ring home。
〃Five dollars won't do me any good；〃 he said。 〃Give me back the
ring。〃
〃Five dollars is a good deal of money；〃 said Eliakim。
〃I'd rather have the ring。〃
〃What is your lowest price？〃
〃Twenty dollars。〃
〃I'll give you eight。〃
〃Just now you said it was worth only three；〃 said Paul； sharply。
〃It is very fine gold。 It is better than I thought。 Here is the
money。〃
〃You're a little too fast；〃 said Paul； coolly。 〃I haven't agreed
to part with the ring for eight dollars； and I don't mean to。
Twenty dollars is my lowest price。〃
〃I'll give you ten；〃 said the old man； whose eagerness increased
with Paul's indifference。
〃No； you won't。 Give me back the ring。〃
〃I might give eleven； but I should lose money。〃
〃I don't want you to lose money； and I've concluded to keep the
ring；〃 said Paul； rightly inferring from the old man's eagerness
that the ring was much more valuable than he had at first
supposed。
But the old pawnbroker was fascinated by the sparkling bauble。
He could not make up his mind to give it up。 By fair means or
foul he must possess it。 He advanced his bid to twelve；
fourteen； fifteen dollars； but Paul shook his head resolutely。
He had made up his mind to carry it to Ball & Black's； or some
other first…class jewelers； and ascertain whether it was a real
diamond or not； and if so to obtain an estimate of its value。
〃I've changed my mind；〃 he said。 〃I'll keep the ring。 Just give
it back to me。〃
CHAPTER XVI
THE JEWELER'S PRICE
But to give it back was not Eliakim's intention。 Should he buy
it at twenty dollars； he would make at least two hundred； and
such bargains were not to be had every day。 He decided to give
Paul his price。
〃I will give you twenty dollars；〃 he said； 〃but it is more than
the ring is worth。〃
〃I have concluded not to take twenty dollars；〃 said Paul。 〃You
may give it back。〃
〃You agreed to take twenty dollars；〃 said Eliakim； angrily。
〃That was when I first came in。 You said you wouldn't give it。〃
〃I have changed my mind。〃
〃So have I；〃 said Paul。 〃You had a chance to get it； but now
it's too late。〃
Eliakim was deeply disappointed。 Generally he had his own way
with his customers； who； being in urgent need of money； were
obliged to accept such terms as he chose to offer。 But now the
tables were turned； and Paul proved more than a match for him。
He resolved to attempt intimidation。
〃Boy； where did you get this ring？〃 he asked； in a significant
tone。
〃Honestly；〃 said Paul。 〃That's all you need to know。〃
〃I don't believe it；〃 said the old man； harshly。 〃I believe you
stole it。〃
〃You may believe what you like； but you must give it back to me；〃
said Paul； coolly。
〃I've a great mind to call a policeman；〃 said Eliakim。
〃If you did；〃 said Paul； 〃I'd tell him that you were anxious to
get the ring； though you believed it to be stolen。 Perhaps he
might have something to say to you。〃
Eliakim perceived the force of Paul's argument； for in law the
receiver of stolen goods is as bad as the thief； and there had
been occasions when the pawnbroker had narrowly escaped
punishment for thus indirectly conniving at theft。
〃If you say you got it honestly； I'll buy it of you；〃 he said；
changing his tune。 〃What will you take？〃
〃I don't care about selling to…day；〃 answered Paul。
〃I'll give you twenty…five dollars。〃
〃I can't sell without consulting my mother。 It belongs to her。〃
Reluctantly Eliakim gave back the ring； finding his wiles of no
effect。
〃Bring your mother round to…morrow；〃 he said。 〃I'll give you a
better price than you will get anywhere else。〃
〃All right；〃 said Paul。 〃I'll tell her what you say。〃
The old pawnbroker followed Paul with wistful glances； vainly
wishing that he had not at first depreciated the ring to such an
extent； that his subsequent advances had evidently excited his
customer's suspicion that it was more valuable than be supposed。
He felt that he had lost it through not understanding the
character of the boy with whom he had to deal。
〃Well； Paul； what news of the ring？〃 asked Mrs。 Hoffman； as he
re…entered the room。
〃I was offered twenty…five dollars for it；〃 said Paul。
〃Did you sell it？〃
〃No； mother。〃
〃Why not？〃 asked Jimmy。 〃Twenty…five dollars is a lot of
money。〃
〃I know it；〃 said Paul； 〃but the ring is worth a great deal
more。〃
〃What makes you think so； Paul？〃
〃Because the offer was made by a pawnbroker； who never pays
quarter what an article is worth。 I am sure the ring is worth a
hundred dollars。〃
〃Yes； I am sure it is worth all that。〃
〃A hundred dollars！〃 repeated Jimmy； awestruck at the magnitude
of the sum。
〃What shall we do about it； Paul？〃 asked his mother。 〃A hundred
dollars will do us more good than the ring。〃
〃I know that； mother。 What I propose is； to carry it to Ball &
Black's； or Tiffany's； and sell it for whatever they say it is
worth。 They are first…class houses； and we can depend upon fair
treatment。〃
〃Your advice is good； Paul。 I think we will follow it。 When
will you go？〃
〃I will go at once。 I have nothing else to do； and I would like
to find out as soon as I can how much it will bring。 Old
Henderson wanted me to think； at first； that it was only
imitation； and offered me twenty shillings on it。 He's an old
cheat。 When he found that I wasn't to be humbugged； he raised
his offer by degrees to twenty…five dollars。 That was what made
me suspect its value。〃
〃If you get a hundred dollars； Paul；〃 said Jimmy； 〃you can buy
out the stand。〃
〃That depends on whether mother will lend me the money；〃 said
Paul。 〃You know it's hers。 She may not be willing to lend
without security。〃
〃I am so unaccustomed to being a capitalist；〃 said Mrs。 Hoffman；
smiling； 〃that I shan't know how to sustain the character。 I
don't think I shall be afraid to trust you； Paul。〃
Once more； with the ring carefully wrapped in a paper and
deposited in his pocketbook； Paul started uptown。 Tiffany； whose
fame as a jeweler is world…wide； was located on Broadway。 He had
not yet removed to his present magnificent store on Union Square。
Paul knew the store； but had never entered it。 Now； as he
entered； he was struck with astonishment at the sight of the
immense and costly stock； unrivaled by any similar establishment；
not only in the United States； but in Europe。 Our hero walked up
to the counter； and stood beside a richly…dresse