than any thing else - my random fingers encountered a soft, silken
bundle. When Lisbeth came up, flushed and panting, I held them in
my hands.

"Give them to me!" she cried.

"I'm sorry - "

"Please," she begged.

"I'm very sorry - "

"Mr. Brent." said Lisbeth, drawing her self up, "I'll trouble you
for my - them."

"Pardon me, Lisbeth," I answered, "but if I remember anything of the
law of 'treasure-trove' one of these should go to the Crown, and one
belongs to me.

Lisbeth grew quite angry - one of her few bad traits.

"You will give them up at once - immediately?

"On the contrary," I said very gently, "seeing the Crown can have no
use for one, I shall keep them both to dream over when the nights are
long and lonely."

Lisbeth actually stamped her foot at me, and I tucked "them" into
my pocket.