She went and stood on the hearthrug and gazed around her; then she
walked over to the bureau. Some Greek books were lying open here--
also a pile of manuscript, several note-books, a few envelopes and
sheets of letter-paper. Still, scarcely knowing why, Rose lifted the
note-paper and looked under it. The heap of paper concealed a purse.
A sealskin purse with gold clasps. Rose snatched her hands away, flung
down the note-paper as if she had been stung and walked back again to
the hearthrug. Once more the color rushed into her cheeks, once more
it retreated, leaving her small, young, pretty face white as marble.
She was assailed by a frightful temptation and she was scarcely the
girl to resist it long. In cold blood she might have shrunk from the
siren voice which bade her release herself from all her present
troubles by theft, but at this moment she was excited, worried,
scarcely capable of calm thought. Here was her unexpected opportunity.
It lay in her power now to revenge herself on Miss Oliphant, on
Prissie, on Polly Singleton and also to get out of her own
difficulties.
How tempting was Maggie's purse! how rich its contents were likely to
prove! Maggie was so rich and so careless that it was quite possible
she might never miss the small sum which Rose meant to take.
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