"Yes. You can," said Sarah, staring at her, "if you will do something
when you get there."
"What?" said Mary, her heart beating like a heavy and jumping hammer.
"There's something I want. You've got to bring it me."
Mary said nothing, only her wide eyes filled with tears.
"There's something in your mother's drawing-room. You know in that
little table with the glass top where there are the little gold boxes
with the silver crosses and things. There's a ring there--a gold one
with a red stone--very pretty. I want it."
Mary drew a long, deep breath. Her fat legs in the tight, black
stockings were shaking.
"You can go in when no one sees. The table isn't locked, I know,
because I opened it once. You can get and bring it to me to-morrow in
the garden."
"Oh," Mary whispered, "that would be stealing."
"Of course it wouldn't. Nobody wants the old ring. No one ever looks at
it. It's just for fun."
"No," said Mary, "I mustn't."
"Oh, yes, you must. You'll be very sorry if you don't. Dreadful things
will happen. Alice----"
Mary cried softly, choking and spluttering and rubbing her eyes with the
back of her hand.
Pages:
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232