his stone. It is very likely that whoever buys
it from me will become rich. Would you like it? You shall have it for
what money you have in the house."

"Oh, law, Miss! but I'm a very poor woman, Miss."

Mrs. Ricketts curtseyed again, and drew closer. "For all the world, it
looks as if it were alive, Miss."

"All valuable diamonds look as if they lived. If this were cut and
polished it would dazzle you."

"And if I had it, I could sell it for a good bit of money?"

"I am sure you could. I don't know for how much, but for more than I am
likely to get from you."

"I'd like to pay Miss Polly back that pound as Maggie took from her."

"Don't worry me about your debts. Will you have this beautiful uncut
diamond for the money you have in the house?"

Mrs. Ricketts did not reply for a moment.

"I have nine shillings and fourpence-halfpenny," she said at last, "and
to-morrow is rent day. Rent will be eight shillings; that leaves me
one-and-fourpence-half penny for food. Ef I give you all my money, Miss,
how am I to pay rent? And how are the children to have food to-morrow?"

"But you can sell the diamond. Why are you so dreadfully stupid? You can
sell the diamond for one, two, or perhaps three pounds. Then how rich
you will be."

"Oh, Miss! there's no one in this yer village 'ud give away good money
for a bit of a stone like that; they'd know better. My word! it do send
out a sort of a flame, though; it's wondrous to look upon!"

"People will buy it from you in a town. Go to the nearest town, take it
to a jeweler, and see how rich you will be when you come out of his
shop. There, I will give it to you for your nine-and-fourpence-half
penny."

Flower laid the diamond in the woman's hand.

"It seems to burn me like," she said. But all the same her fingers
closed over it, and a look of greed and satisfaction filled her face.

"I don't know if I'm a-doin' right," she said, "for perhaps this ain't
worth sixpence, and then where's the rent and the food? But, all the
same, I don't like to say no to a pretty lady when she's in trouble. Here's
the nine-and-fourpence-halfpenny, Miss. I earned it bit by bit by washing
the neighbors' clothes; it wasn't easy come by; there's labor in it, and
aches and dead-tiredness about it. You take it, Miss. I only trust the
diamond will repay what I loses on that nine-and-fourpence-half penny."

Flower handled the money as if she thought it dirty.

Without a word she slipped it into