"Don't go for a moment," he said as she began to move away towards the
house. "I have something to say to you."
She turned quickly and faced him with a suggestion of displeasure in her
eyes. "What is it?" she said with a touch of impatience.
"Only this," he answered quietly. "Have you lost a brooch, Miss
Morriston?"
At the question the blood left her cheeks as it had done a little while
before; then surged back till her face was suffused.
"A brooch? Yes; I have missed one. Have you found it?" The words were
spoken with a calmness which failed to hide the eagerness behind them.
"I think so," he answered, taking out his letter-case. "A pearl, set in
diamonds mounted on a safety-pin?"
He opened the case and showed it pinned into the soft lining.
"Yes; that is mine," she said; and for a moment or two by a strange
attraction each looked into the other's eyes.
Gifford bent his head over the case as he unfastened the brooch and
took it out.
"Where--where did you find it?" Something in the girl's voice made him
glad that he was not looking at her.
"In the garden," he said.
"In the garden?" she repeated.
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