We, too, shall celebrate. You shall wear the pendant, just as
you did that other night."
"Oh, colonel!" There was mingled delight and hesitation in her
ejaculation. "Do you really think I ought to--that it wouldn't be out of
keeping with our present circumstances?"
"Of course, I think you ought to!" he declared. "And see"--he started
across the room--"I will get it for you, and fasten it around your
throat myself."
He reached the escritoire, opened a little drawer at the top, took out a
key, stooped to the lower drawer, inserted the key, turned it once or
twice in a puzzled way, then tried the drawer, pulled it open--and with
a sharp, sudden cry, reached inside for the steel bond-box.
The little old lady rose hurriedly, in a startled way, from her chair.
"What is it? What is the matter?" she cried anxiously.
The box clattered from the colonel's hands to the floor.
"It is gone!" he said hoarsely. "It has been stolen!"
"_Gone!_" She ran wildly forward. "Stolen! No, no--it cannot be gone!"
They stared for a moment into each other's faces, and from each other's
faces stared at the rifled box upon the floor--and then a look of wan
misery crept gray upon the little old lady, and she swayed backward.
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