"Not so fast!" exclaimed Mr. Montgomery, seizing him by the shoulder.
"Help! Police!"
An officer had turned the corner just before, and it was this that had
suggested the trap. He came up quickly, and, looking keenly from one to
the other, inquired what was the matter.
"This boy has just purloined a ring from my wife," said Mr. Montgomery.
"Fortunately I caught him in the act."
"Give up the ring, you young scoundrel!" said the officer, imposed upon
by the clerical appearance of the adventurer.
"It is mine," said Paul.
"None of your gammon! Give up the ring, and come with me."
The ring was restored to Mr. Montgomery, who overwhelmed the officer
with a profusion of thanks.
"It is not a diamond, only an imitation," he said, "but my wife values
it as the gift of a friend. Don't be too hard on the boy. He may not be
so bad as he seems."
"I'll attend to him," said the policeman, emphatically. "I'll learn him
to rob ladies of rings in the street. Come along, sir!"
Paul tried to explain matters, but no attention was paid to his
protestations. To his anger and mortification he saw the swindler
make off triumphantly with the ring, while he, the wronged owner, was
arrested as a thief.
But at the station-house he had his revenge. He was able to prove to his
captor that he had lodged information against Mr. Montgomery, and the
policeman in turn was mortified to think how readily he had been
imposed upon.
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