"I shall probably send you to Cleveland."
"Is Cleveland in Ohio?" asked Mark, his eyes sparkling.
"Yes. Do you think you can find your way there?"
"I'll try."
"You generally succeed in what you undertake to do. Well, I will explain. I have a customer living in Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, who used to be a New York society lady. She bought a good deal of jewelry, and always purchased of me. This is what she writes."
The material part of the letter was this:
"I want a diamond pin worth about one thousand dollars. My husband has agreed to give it to me for a birthday present, and left the selection to me. I can't find anything here that I want, and have been led to think of my old jeweler in New York. You know my taste. Select what you think I will like and send me by private messenger. I might of course employ an express, but there have been some express robberies recently, and I am ready to pay the extra expense required by a special messenger. Send at once.
"Arabella Loring."
"You see," said the jeweler, "that this is an important matter. The messenger will bear great responsibility on account of the value of what he has in charge."
"Do you think I am old enough for the commission, Mr. Swan?" said Mark modestly.