"Your hair's redder than mine," said the stout man with a critical glance.
"Perhaps it is," said Denton, who was notsensitive, since the hair belonged to a wig. "So you became rich?"
"I went to California without fifty dollars in my pocket," said the other complacently. "Now I can afford to wear this," and he pointed to the diamond.
"Dear me! why, what a splendid diamond!" exclaimed Denton, as if he saw it for the first time.
"It's a smasher, isn't it!" said the stout man proudly.
"May I ask where you got it?"
"I bought it of a poor cuss that drunk hisself to death.Gave a thousand dollars for it!"
"Why, it must be worth more!" said Denton almost involuntarily.
"Of course 'tis. It's worth three thousand easy."
And two thousand on top of that, thought Denton. He doesn't know the value of it. "How long have you had it?" he enquired.