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When he was gone； Phoebe； assuming vast experience； though this was
only her third day； told Dick that was one of the right sort： 〃and
oh； Dick；〃 said she； 〃did you notice his eye？〃
〃Not particklar； sister。〃
〃There now； the boy is blind。 Why； 'twas like a jewel。 Such an
eye I never saw in a man's head； nor a woman's neither。〃
Staines told his wife about Phoebe and her brother； and spoke of
her with a certain admiration that raised Rosa's curiosity； and
even that sort of vague jealousy that fires at bare praise。 〃I
should like to see this phenomenon；〃 said she。 〃You shall；〃 said
he。 〃I have to call on Mrs。 Manly。 She lives near。 I will drop
you at the little shop； and come back for you。〃
He did so； and that gave Rosa a quarter of an hour to make her
purchases。 When he came back he found her conversing with Phoebe；
as if they were old friends； and Dick glaring at his wife with awe
and admiration。 He could hardly get her away。
She was far more extravagant in her praises than Dr。 Staines had
been。 〃What a good creature！〃 said she。 〃And how clever！ To
think of her setting up a shop like that all by herself； for her
Dick is only seventeen。〃
Dr。 Staines recommended the little shop wherever he went； and even
extended its operations。 He asked Phoebe to get her own wheat
ground at home； and send the flour up in bushel bags。 〃These
assassins； the bakers；〃 said he； 〃are putting copper into the flour
now； as well as alum。 Pure flour is worth a fancy price to any
family。 With that we can make the bread of life。 What you buy in
the shops is the bread of death。〃
Dick was a good； sharp boy； devoted to his sister。 He stuck to the
shop in London； and handed the money to Phoebe； when she came for
it。 She worked for it in Essex； and extended her country
connection for supply as the retail business increased。
Staines wrote an article on pure food； and incidentally mentioned
the shop as a place where flour； milk； and butter were to be had
pure。 This article was published in the Lancet； and caused quite a
run upon the little shop。 By and by Phoebe enlarged it； for which
there were great capabilities； and made herself a pretty little
parlor； and there she and Dick sat to Falcon for their portraits；
here； too； she hung his rejected landscapes。 They were fair in her
eyes； what matter whether they were like nature？ his hand had
painted them。 She knew； from him； that everybody else had rejected
them。 With all the more pride and love did she have them framed in
gold； and hung up with the portraits in her little sanctum。
For a few months Phoebe Dale was as happy as she deserved to be。
Her lover was working； and faithful to herat least she saw no
reason to doubt it。 He came to see her every evening； and seemed
devoted to her： would sit quietly with her； or walk with her； or
take her to a play； or a music…hallat her expense。
She now lived in a quiet elysium； with a bright and rapturous dream
of the future； for she saw she had hit on a good vein of business；
and should soon be independent； and able to indulge herself with a
husband； and ask no man's leave。
She sent to Essex for a dairymaid； and set her to churn milk into
butter； coram populo； at a certain hour every morning。 This made a
new sensation。 At other times the woman was employed to deliver
milk and cream to a few favored customers。
Mrs。 Staines dropped in now and then； and chatted with her。 Her
sweet face and her naivete won Phoebe's heart； and one day； as
happiness is apt to be communicative； she let out to her； in reply
to a feeler or two as to whether she was quite alone； that she was
engaged to be married to a gentleman。 〃But he is not rich； ma'am；〃
said Phoebe plaintively； 〃he has had trouble： obliged to work for
his living； like me； he painted these pictures； EVERY ONE OF THEM。
If it was not making too free； and you could spare a guineahe
charges no more for the picture； only you must go to the expense of
the frame。〃
〃Of course I will；〃 said Rosa warmly。 〃I'll sit for it here； any
day you like。〃
Now； Rosa said this； out of her ever ready kindness； not to wound
Phoebe： but having made the promise； she kept clear of the place
for some days； hoping Phoebe would forget all about it。 Meantime
she sent her husband to buy。
In about a fortnight she called again； primed with evasions if she
should be asked to sit； but nothing of the kind was proposed。
Phoebe was dealing when she went in。 The customers disposed of；
she said to Mrs。 Staines； 〃Oh； ma'am； I am glad you are come。 I
have something I should like to show you。〃 She took her into the
parlor； and made her sit down： then she opened a drawer； and took
out a very small substance that looked like a tear of ground glass；
and put it on the table before her。 〃There； ma'am；〃 said she；
〃that is all he has had for painting a friend's picture。〃
〃Oh！ what a shame。〃
〃His friend was going abroadto Natal； to his uncle that farms out
there； and does very well； it is a first…rate part； if you take out
a little stock with you； and some money； so my one gave him credit；
and when the letter came with that postmark； he counted on a five…
pound note； but the letter only said he had got no money yet； but
sent him something as a keepsake： and there was this little stone。
Poor fellow！ he flung it down in a passion； he was so disappointed。〃
Phoebe's great gray eyes filled； and Rosa gave a little coo of
sympathy that was very womanly and lovable。
Phoebe leaned her cheek on her hand； and said thoughtfully； 〃I
picked it up； and brought it away； for； after alldon't you think；
ma'am； it is very strange that a friend should send it all that
way； if it was worth nothing at all？〃
〃It is impossible。 He could not be so heartless。〃
〃And do you know； ma'am； when I take it up in my fingers； it
doesn't feel like a thing that was worth nothing。〃
〃No more it does： it makes my fingers tremble。 May I take it home；
and show it my husband？ he is a great physician and knows everything。〃
〃I am sure I should be obliged to you； ma'am。〃
Rosa drove home； on purpose to show it to Christopher。 She ran
into his study： 〃Oh； Christopher； please look at that。 You know
that good creature we have our flour and milk and things of。 She
is engaged； and he is a painter。 Oh； such daubs！ He painted a
friend； and the friend sent that home all the way from Natal； and
he dashed it down； and SHE picked it up； and what is it？ ground
glass； or a pebble； or what？〃
〃Humph！by its shape； and the greatbrilliancyand refraction of
light； on this angle； where the stone has got polished by rubbing
against other stones； in the course of ages； I'm inclined to think
it isa diamond。〃
〃A diamond！〃 shrieked Rosa。 〃No wonder my fingers trembled。 Oh；
can it be？ Oh； you good； cold…blooded Christie！Poor things！
Come along； Diamond！ Oh you beauty！ Oh you duck！〃
〃Don't be in such a hurry。 I only said I thought it was a diamond。
Let me weigh it against water； and then I shall KNOW。〃
He took it to his little laboratory； and returned in a few minutes；
and said； 〃Yes。 It is just three times and a half heavier than
water。 It is a diamond。〃
〃Are you positive？〃
〃I'll stake my existence。〃
〃What is it worth？〃
〃My dear； I'm not a jeweller： but it is very large and pear…shaped；
and I see no flaw： I don't think you could buy it for less than
three hundred pounds。〃
〃Three hundred pounds！ It is worth three hundred pounds。〃
〃Or sell it for more than a hundred and fifty pounds。〃
〃A hundred and fifty！ It is worth a hundred and fifty pounds。〃
〃Why； my dear； one would think you had invented 'the diamond。'
Show me how to crystallize carbon； and I will share your
enthusiasm。〃
〃Oh； I leave you to carbonize crystal。 I prefer to gladden hearts：
and I will do it this minute； with my diamond。〃
〃Do； dear； and I will take that opportunity to finish my article on
Adulteration。〃
Rosa drove off to Phoebe Dale。
Now Phoebe was drinking tea with Reginald Falcon； in her little
parlor。 〃Who is that； I wonder？〃 said she； when the carriage drew
up。
Reginald drew back a corner of the gauze curtain which had been
drawn across the little glass door leading from the shop。
〃It is a lady； and a beautifulOh！ let me get out。〃 And he rushed
out at the door leading to the kitchen； not to be recognized。
This set Phoebe all in a flutter； and the next moment Mrs。 Staines
tapped at the little door； then opened it； and peeped。 〃Good news！
may I come in？〃
〃Surely；〃 said Phoebe； still troubled and confused by Reginald's
strange agitation。
〃There！ It is a diamond！〃 screamed Rosa。 〃My husband knew it
directly。 He knows everything。 If ever you are ill； go to him and
nobody elseby the refraction； and the angle； and its being three
times and a half as heavy as water。 It is worth three hundred
pounds to buy； and a hundred and fifty pounds to sell。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃So don't you go throwing it away； as he did。 （In a whisper。） Two
teacups？ Was that him？ I have driven him away。 I am so sorry。
I'll go； and then you can tell him。 Poor fellow！〃
〃Oh； ma'am； don't go yet；〃 said Phoebe； trembling。 〃I haven't half