DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22217#0265
THE WRONG UMBRELLA.
253
best sort of thing to give—ah—to a young lady—you know—-
as a present," languidly began the pretty young gentleman.
" It must be a real tip-top thing—artistic, pretty, and all that;
and you must be willing to take it back if she shouldn't like it
—that is, in exchange for something as good or better."
" Hadn't we better send a variety of articles to the young
lady, and let her choose for herself?" suggested Mr Ward.
" Oh, hang it, no !—that would never do," said Mr Whit-
more, with considerable energy. " She'd stick to the lot, you
know; women are never satisfied;" and he gave a peculiar
wink to convey the idea he wished to express. " You just be
good enough to show me the things, and I'll choose what I
think best, and you can send them to the house addressed to
me. I'll take them to her myself to-morrow, and if they don't
suit, I'll send them back by my valet, or bring them myself."
All this was fair and quite business-like, and Mr Ward hast-
ened to display his most tempting treasures to his customer,
who, however, speedily rejected the best of them on account of
their high price. At length he chose a lady's small gold lever,
ornamented with jewels on the back, and a set of gold ear-
rings, with brooch and necklet to match. The price of the
whole came to a trifle under ^60, and the buyer expressed
much satisfaction at the reasonable charges and the beauty of
the articles.
" You will put them up carefully and send them home, and,
if I keep them, you can send in your bill at the usual time,"
said the agreeable customer; and so the pleasant transaction
concluded, the jeweller showed him out, the cab was entered,
and Mr Whitmore not only disappeared from the jeweller's
sight, but also, as it seemed, from every one else's. As he left
the shop, the languid gentleman had looked at his watch, and
the jeweller had just time to notice that it was an expensive
gold one, with a very peculiar dial of gold figures on a black
ground. Some reference had also been made to diamonds
during the selection of the presents, and Mr Whitmore had
been obliging enough to remove one of the rings from his
white fingers and place it in the hands of the jeweller, when
that gentleman read inside the initials " S. W."
These two circumstances were afterwards to add to the in-
tricacy of the case when it came into our hands. From the
moment when the pretty-faced gentleman was shown out by
Mr Ward, he could not have vanished more effectually if he
had driven out of the world. Half an hour after, a young
253
best sort of thing to give—ah—to a young lady—you know—-
as a present," languidly began the pretty young gentleman.
" It must be a real tip-top thing—artistic, pretty, and all that;
and you must be willing to take it back if she shouldn't like it
—that is, in exchange for something as good or better."
" Hadn't we better send a variety of articles to the young
lady, and let her choose for herself?" suggested Mr Ward.
" Oh, hang it, no !—that would never do," said Mr Whit-
more, with considerable energy. " She'd stick to the lot, you
know; women are never satisfied;" and he gave a peculiar
wink to convey the idea he wished to express. " You just be
good enough to show me the things, and I'll choose what I
think best, and you can send them to the house addressed to
me. I'll take them to her myself to-morrow, and if they don't
suit, I'll send them back by my valet, or bring them myself."
All this was fair and quite business-like, and Mr Ward hast-
ened to display his most tempting treasures to his customer,
who, however, speedily rejected the best of them on account of
their high price. At length he chose a lady's small gold lever,
ornamented with jewels on the back, and a set of gold ear-
rings, with brooch and necklet to match. The price of the
whole came to a trifle under ^60, and the buyer expressed
much satisfaction at the reasonable charges and the beauty of
the articles.
" You will put them up carefully and send them home, and,
if I keep them, you can send in your bill at the usual time,"
said the agreeable customer; and so the pleasant transaction
concluded, the jeweller showed him out, the cab was entered,
and Mr Whitmore not only disappeared from the jeweller's
sight, but also, as it seemed, from every one else's. As he left
the shop, the languid gentleman had looked at his watch, and
the jeweller had just time to notice that it was an expensive
gold one, with a very peculiar dial of gold figures on a black
ground. Some reference had also been made to diamonds
during the selection of the presents, and Mr Whitmore had
been obliging enough to remove one of the rings from his
white fingers and place it in the hands of the jeweller, when
that gentleman read inside the initials " S. W."
These two circumstances were afterwards to add to the in-
tricacy of the case when it came into our hands. From the
moment when the pretty-faced gentleman was shown out by
Mr Ward, he could not have vanished more effectually if he
had driven out of the world. Half an hour after, a young