"Tatler."

"I think his watch would be the most suitable present," said Josephine.

Constantia looked up; she seemed surprised.

"Oh, would you trust a gold watch to a native?"

"But of course, I'd disguise it," said Josephine. "No one would know it
was a watch." She liked the idea of having to make a parcel such a curious
shape that no one could possibly guess what it was. She even thought for a
moment of hiding the watch in a narrow cardboard corset-box that she'd kept
by her for a long time, waiting for it to come in for something. It was
such beautiful, firm cardboard. But, no, it wouldn't be appropriate for
this occasion. It had lettering on it: "Medium Women's 28. Extra Firm
Busks." It would be almost too much of a surprise for Benny to open that
and find father's watch inside.

"And of course it isn't as though it would be going--ticking, I mean," said
Constantia, who was still thinking of the native love of jewellery. "At
least," she added, "it would be very strange if after all that time it
was."


Chapter 3.VIII.

Josephine made no reply. She had flown off on one of her tangents. She
had suddenly thought of Cyril. Wasn't it more usual for the only grandson
to have the watch? And then dear Cyril was so appreciative, and a gold
watch meant so much to a young man. Benny, in all probability, had quite