Grant took out the necklace and bracelets, and passed them over. No
sooner had he done so than a showily dressed lady advanced to the
place where he was standing, and held out her hand for the
ornaments, exclaiming: "I forbid you to buy those articles, sir.
They are mine. The boy stole them from me, and I have followed him
here, suspecting that he intended to dispose of them."

"That is false," exclaimed Grant, indignantly. "I never saw that
woman before in my life."

"So you are a liar as well as a thief!" said the woman. "You will
please give me those pearls, sir."

The clerk looked at the two contestants in indecision. He was
disposed to believe the lady's statement.






CHAPTER VII

MRS. SIMPSON COMES TO GRIEF





"Surely I have a right to my own property," said the showily dressed