Jane nodded her head. “Paregoric for breakfast, cordial between whiles, and laudanum at night; that nurse always has quiet babies; can lay ’em down anywhere in a corner or on a shelf. If they wake up and cry, more drops; you can’t think how nat’rally they go to the other sleep at last; it’s quite beautiful.” “But this one? don’t talk of sleep,—is it dead?” “As a door-nail!” “La—a,” ejaculated the old woman, with a sort of distrustful exultation, “if I could believe you now!” Jane fired up in an instant. “I see—this is to get rid of paying over the other ear-ring; but it won’t do, I’m not to be taken in that way. Goodness knows the whole set wouldn’t half pay me for the trouble and risk, to say nothing of one’s soul. So it’s no use putting on airs, I’ve earned the ear-rings, and I mean to have ’em.” “There now, dear, there now, what an ado you are making, and all for nothing at all; dear me, who said a word about not giving you the ring? but the mate, just let me see that, and we will put them together. Earned them? indeed I think you have, dear, and more than that by a good deal. Certainly, my dear, you shall have more than that.” “Oh, thank you! I deserve it, at any rate, though the girl did escape.” “Deserve it, my pet, of course you do, and twice as much; but give me the ear-ring.” “Not exactly!” answered Jane Kelly, “I was not fool enough to bring it here.” “Then you haven’t it about you?” “No, why should I?” “Oh, no, why should you—but you haven’t pawned or sold it, have you?” “Of course I haven’t; none of your fine ladies will get a chance to flourish in them diamond ear-rings now, I tell you; they cost too much for that, and what I’ve earned I can afford to wear as well as the best on ’em.” “But why didn’t you put it in your ear to-night? I should just like to see ’em sparkling each side of them rosy cheeks; why, it’d be a treat to see them and your eyes a-flashing together. I wish you’d brought ’em, dear.” “Well,” answered Jane, smoothing back her hair, with great complacency, “it’s no use talking about it now, for one ear-ring is safe in my trunk, at the hospital, and the other, you know, is somewhere in the room here, so it stands to reason they can’t outshine my two eyes to-night.” “Oh, ho!” ejaculated madame, softly; “in your trunk; well, I should a thought it would have been safer in your pocket.” “Not at all. I keep the store-room key myself, and no one gets to my trunk now, I tell you. The matron would give her eyes to see what’s in it; but, no; close bind, close find, is my motto.” “And so you must have the mate to that ring to-night?” said Madame De Marke, after a moment’s reflection. “Must have the mate to that ring to-night,” repeated Jane, with a self-confident toss of the head. “Well, now, how sorry I am, dear; but the room isn’t safe for things so costly, you know, and it was only yesterday I sent it down to the bank.”