Then he drew away and brushed with fastidious glove
the dust his coat retained from contact with her shoulder.
"See what I have found!" she exclaimed, holding up a small trinket that
glittered in the sunlight. "It belongs to the Moon-in-a-black-cloud."
It was a little gold locket, which he had often noticed on the neck of
Helene. Shortly before Wanda's abrupt flight, she had pointed with
childish curiosity to the slender bright chain clearly visible beneath
the transparent folds of the black gown, and the young lady had
obligingly drawn the locket from its secret place upon her heart, for
the gratification of its admirer. Left for a time on the outside of
her dress, one of the tiny links must have severed, and the pretty
trinket slipped to the ground unnoticed by its owner. The young man in
whose hand it now lay was tempted to a dishonourable action. He had
often begged Helene to show him the contents of this locket--a favour
which had uniformly been denied. Now the opportunity was his without
the asking. Nothing rewarded his curiosity save a lock of yellow hair,
probably cut from the head of Rose.
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