laid the ring
and watch down and pulled the only ring she possessed from her own
finger. It was a gift from Lady Gower. She had no doubt that it was of
great value.

"Can you lend me some money on that?" she asked. It was the first time
she had conducted a business transaction of this nature, and she felt as
though she were engaging in a burglary.

"We don't lend money, miss," the girl said, "we buy outright. I can give
you twenty-eight shillings for this," she added.

"Twenty-eight shillings," Helen gasped; "why, it is worth--oh, ever so
much more than that!"

"That is all it is worth to us," the girl answered. She regarded the
ring indifferently and laid it away from her on the counter. The action
was final.

Helen's hands rose slowly to her breast, where a pretty watch dangled
from a bowknot of crushed diamonds. It was her only possession, and she
was very fond of it. It also was the gift of one of the several great
ladies who had adopted her since her residence in London. Helen had
painted a miniature of this particular great lady which had looked so
beautiful that the pleasure which the original of the portrait derived
from the thought that she still really looked as she did in the
miniature was worth more to her than many diamonds.

But it was different with Helen, and no one could count what it cost her
to tear away her one proud possession.

"What will you give me for this?" she asked defiantly.

The girl's eyes showed greater interest. "I can give you twenty pounds
for that," she said.

"Take it, please," Helen begged, as though she feared if she kept it a
moment longer she might not be able to make the sacrifice.

"That will be enough now," she went on, taking out her ten-pound note.
She put Lady Gower's ring back upon her finger and picked up Philip's
ring and watch with the pleasure of one who has come into a great
fortune. She turned back at the door.

"Oh," she stammered, "in case any one should inquire, you are not to say
who bought these."

"No, miss, certainly not," said the woman. Helen gave the direction to
the cabman and, closing the doors of the hansom, sat looking down at the
watch and the ring, as they lay in her lap. The thought that they had
been his most valued possessions, which he had abandoned forever, and
that they were now entirely hers, to do with as she liked, filled her
with most intense delight and pleasure. She took up the heavy gold ring
and placed it on the little fi