He did not stop to condone her
weakness; rather he seized it in ecstasy; it was all part
of the glad scheme to help the lover. He turned the
diamonds so that they flashed and flashed again before
her. Then, trusting his happy instinct, he sought for
her hand. But she held that back. "I want to SEE it,"
she declared, and he was obliged to let her take the ring
in her own way and examine it, and place it in every
light, and compare it with others worn by her friends,
and make little tentative charges of extravagance in his
purchase of it, while he sat elated and adoring, the
simple fellow.
Reluctantly at last she gave up her hand. "But it's only
trying on--not putting on," she told him. He said nothing
till it flashed upon her finger, and in her eyes he saw
a spark from below of that instinctive cupidity toward
jewels that man can never recognize as it deserves in
woman, because of his desire to gratify it.
"You'll wear it, Dora?" he pleaded.
"Lorne, you are the dearest fellow! But how could I?
Everybody would guess!"
Her gaze, nevertheless, rested fascinated on the ring,
which she posed as it pleased her.
"Let them guess! I'd rather they knew, but--it does look
well on your finger, dear."
She held it up once more to the light, then slipped it
decisively off and gave it back to him.
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