Scribner's Magazine, Volume 26, August 1899Various
General
Scribner's Magazine, Volume 26, August 1899
Various
American periodicals
There were some old mezzotints in the window of the loan shop, a string
of coins and medals, a row of new French posters; and far down to the
front a tray filled with gold and silver cigarette-cases and watches and
rings. It occurred to Helen, who was still bent on making restitution
for her neglect, that a cigarette-case would be more appropriate for a
man than flowers, and more lasting. And she scanned the contents of the
window with the eye of one who now saw in everything only something which
might give Philip pleasure. The two objects of value in the tray upon
which her eyes first fell were the gold seal-ring with which Philip had
sealed his letters to her, and lying next to it, his gold watch! There
was something almost human in the way the ring and watch spoke to her
from the past—in the way they appealed to her to rescue them from the
surroundings to which they had been abandoned. She did not know what she
meant to do with them nor how she could return them to Philip; but there
was no question of doubt in her manner as she swept with a rush into the
shop. There was no attempt, either, at bargaining in the way in which
she pointed out to the young woman behind the counter the particular
ring and watch she wanted. They had not been left as collateral, the
young woman said; they had been sold outright.
"Then anyone can buy them?" Helen asked eagerly. "They are for sale to
the public—to anyone?"
The young woman made note of the customer's eagerness, but with an
unmoved countenance.
"Yes, miss, they are for sale. The ring is four pounds and the watch
twenty-five."
"Twenty-nine pounds!" Helen gasped.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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