“Yes, sir,” answered Mr. Montgomery, but there was rather less confidence in his tone. In fact he was beginning to feel uneasy.
“It is very strange,” said the other. “I have a sister living in Hayfield Centre, and frequently visit the place myself, and so of course know something of it. Yet I have never heard of any clergyman named Barnes preaching there.”
Mr. Montgomery saw that things looked critical.
“You are strangely mistaken, sir,” he said. “However, I will not press the sale. If you will return the ring (to the clerk) I will dispose of it elsewhere.”
But the clerk's suspicions had been aroused by what had been said.
“I will first speak to Mr. Ball,” he said.
“There is no occasion to speak to him. I shall not sell the ring to-day. To-morrow, I will come with witnesses whose testimony will outweigh that of this gentleman, who I suspect never was in Hayfield Centre in his life. I will trouble you for the ring.”
“I hope you don't intend to give it to him,” said the gentleman. “The presumption is that, as he is masquerading, he has not come by it honestly.”
“I shall not deign to notice your insinuations,” said Mr. Montgomery, who concealed beneath a consequential tone his real uneasiness. “The ring, if you please.”
“Don't give it to him.”