at three, and again
at eight-thirty. I had just hidden me away till the rest were gone,
and as soon as the coast was clear I got into Gray's dressing-room,
pushed aside the chintz curtains of the big box that makes her
dressing-table--and waited.

Lord, how the hours dragged! I hadn't had anything to eat since lunch,
and it got darker and darker in there, and hot and close and cramped.
I put in the time, much as I could, thinking of Tom. The very first
thing I'd do after cashing in, would be to get up to Sing Sing to see
him. I'm crazy to see him. I'd tell him the news and see if he
couldn't bribe a guard, or plan some scheme with me to get out soon.

Afraid--me? What of? If they found me under that box I'd just give
'em the Beryl story about the bet. How do you know they wouldn't
believe it? ... Oh, I don't care, you've got to take chances, Mag
Monahan, if you go in for big things. And this was big--huge. Do you
know how much that diamond's worth? And do you know how to spend fifty
thousand?

I spent it all there--in the box--every penny of it. When I got tired
spending money I dozed a bit and, in my dream, spent it over again.
And then I waked and tried to fancy new ways of getting rid of it, but
my head ached, and my back ached, and my whole body was so strained and
cramped that I was on the point of giving it all up when--that blessed
old Topham came in.

He set the big box down with a bang that nearly cracked my head. He
turned on the lights, and stood whistling Tommy Atkins. And then
suddenly there came a soft call, "Topham! Topham!"

I leaned back and bit my fingers till I knew I wouldn't shriek. The
Englishman listened a minute. Then the call came again, and Topham
creaked to the door and out.

In a twinkling I was out, too, you bet.

Mag! He hadn't opened the box at all! There it stood in the middle of
the space framed by the three glasses. I pulled at the lid. Locked!
I could have screamed with rage. But the sound of his step outside the
door sobered me. He was coming back. In a frantic hurry I turned
toward the window which I had unlocked when I came in four hours ago.
But I hadn't time to make it. I heard the old fellow's hand on the
door, and I tumbled back into the box in such a rush that the curtains
were still waving when he came in.

Slowly he began to place the jewels, one by one, in the order her
Ladyship puts them on. We Charity girls had often watched him from the