Rose bid against her, an angry flush filling her blue eyes as she did
so. Maggie nonchalantly made her next bid a little higher-- Rose
raised hers. Soon they were the only two in the field; other girls had
come to the limit of their purses and withdrew vanquished.
Rosalind's face grew very white. Could she have knock Maggie Oliphant
down with a blow she would have done so at that moment. Maggie calmly
and quietly continued her bids, raising them gradually higher and
higher. Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten pounds: Rose had come to
the end of her resources. She stepped away with a bitter smile on her
face. The sealskin jacket was Maggie Oliphant's property for ten
guineas.
Maggie laid it carelessly on a table near, and returning once more to
her position near the door, watched the sale proceed. One by one Polly
Singleton parted with her dresses, her pictures, her furniture. At
last, opening a case, she proceeded to dispose of some trinkets, none
of which, with the exception of the pink coral set, was of very high
value. This, which consisted of necklace, bracelets, and earrings, and
some pretty pins for the hair, was most eagerly coveted by many.
Several girls bid for the coral, and Maggie, who had not raised her
voice since she secured the sealskin jacket, once more noticed the
greedy glitter in Rosalind's eyes.
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