It wouldn't be right! And
see," she laughed tremulously, "Isn't it strange I should have found it
today, but," she lifted the white thing in her lap, "here is Wildenai's
wedding dress - and the chain of garnets!"
The cavern was quite dark before they had finished talking about it, but
at length they laid the poor little ghost of a garment reverently back
among the stones and rose to go.
"But the necklace?" Blair asked, hesitating, "do you think we ought to
leave that here?"
The girl considered a moment.
"It's really yours," she decided. "Nobody else could have the least
claim to it."
"Except - " Suddenly his eyes shone with a strange expression before
which the little art teacher instinctively shrank. He took a step toward
her.
"I believe I'll give the garnets back," he announced. "I fancy that's
what the princess would have liked to do if she'd had the chance.
Besides," his eyes grew still darker, "they were meant in the first
place for a wedding gift, and so if you - "
He would have clasped them about her neck, but Miss Hastings backed
frantically away.
"No! - not for worlds," she cried. "You know you're only saying it
because you think you can't get out of it!" And before he could realize
just what was happening, she was gone.
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