Shirley had on a string of them last night, but not
to compare with these." Mrs. Boyd was kneeling before a trunk in the
parlor closet, and presently she put a little square shell box into
Pauline's bands. "Box and all, just like they came to me--you know,
they were my grandmother's--but Hilary's a real careful sort of girl."
"But, Mrs. Boyd--I'm not sure that mother would--" Pauline knew quite
well what was in the box.
"That's all right! You just slip them in Hilary's top drawer, where
she'll come across them without expecting it. Deary me, I never wear
them, and as I say, I've always meant to give them to her some day."
"She'll be perfectly delighted--and they'll look so pretty. Hilary's
got a mighty pretty neck, I think." Pauline went out to the gig, the
little box hidden carefully in her blouse, feeling that Patience was
right and that these were very fairy-story sort of days.
"You'll be over again soon, won't you?" Hilary urged.
"We're going to be tre-men-dous-ly busy," Patience began, but her
sister cut her short.
"As soon as I can, Hilary. Mind you go on getting better."
By Monday noon, the spare room had lost its look of prim order. In the
afternoon, Pauline and her mother went down to the store to buy the
matting.
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