it to her now!"

He shook his head and walked to the door.

"I want to say something to her first and give her time to think it
over. Look out for the bag, and I'll bring in the things."

He swung the rough board door wide, slammed it and disappeared in the
darkness.

The young wife watched the bag a moment with consuming curiosity. She
had fiercely resented his insulting insinuations at her curiosity, and
yet she was wild to look at that glowing pile of gold inside and picture
the old woman's joyous surprise.

Her hand touched the lock carelessly and drew back as if her finger had
been burned. She put her hands behind her and crossed the room.

"I won't be so weak and silly!" she cried fiercely.

She heard Jim cranking the car. It would take him five minutes more to
start it, get it under the shed and bring in the suit-case and robes.

"Why shouldn't I see it!" she exclaimed. "He has told me about it." She
hesitated and struggled for a moment, quickly walked back to the bag and
touched the spring. It yielded instantly.

"Why, it's not even locked!" she cried in tones of surprise at her silly
scruples.

Her hand had just touched the gold when Nance entered.

She snapped the bag and smiled at the old woman carelessly. What a sweet
surprise she would have tomorrow morning!

Nance crossed slowly, glancing once at the girl wistfully as if she
wanted to say something friendly, and then, alarmed at her presumption,
hurried on into the little shed-room.

Mary waited until she returned.

"Room's all ready in thar, ma'am," she drawled, passing into the kitchen
without a pause.

"All right--thank you," Mary answered.

She quickly opened the bag, thrust her hand into the gold and
withdrew it, holding a costly green-leather jewelry-case of exquisite
workmanship. There could be no mistake about its value.

With a cry of joy, she started back, staring at the little box.

"Another surprise! And for me! Oh, Jim, man, you're glorious! My
Christmas present, of course! I mustn't look at it--I won't!"

She pushed the case from her toward the bag and drew it back again.

"What's the difference? I'll take one little, tiny peep."

She touched the spring and caught her breath. A string of pearls fit for
the neck of a princess lay shining in its soft depths. She lifted them
with a sigh of delight. Her eye suddenly rested on a stanza of poetry
scrawled on the satin lining in the trembling hand of an old man she had
kno