Her cousin looked around in gawky embarrassment, bewildered by the
splendor of the room; and after some deliberation selected the most
substantial of the chairs, on the extreme edge of which he carefully
seated himself.

"I wish I could show you the jewels, Luke," said the girl; "but I can't,
for she always keeps the keys herself; that's the case on the
dressing-table there."

"What, _that?_" cried Luke, staring at the massive walnut-wood and brass
inlaid casket. "Why, that's big enough to hold every bit of clothes
I've got!"

"And it's as full as it can be of diamonds, rubies, pearls and
emeralds," answered Phoebe, busy as she spoke in folding the rustling
silk dresses, and laying them one by one upon the shelves of the
wardrobe. As she was shaking out the flounces of the last, a jingling
sound caught her ear, and she put her hand into the pocket.

"I declare!" she exclaimed, "my lady has left her keys in her pocket for
once in a way; I can show you the jewelry, if you like, Luke."

"Well, I may as well have a look at it, my girl," he said, rising from
his chair and holding the light while his cousin unlocked the casket. He
uttered a cry of wonder when he saw the ornaments glittering on white
satin cushions. He wanted to handle the delicate jewels; to pull them
about, and find out their mercantile value. Perhaps a pang of longing
and envy shot through his heart as he thought how he would have liked to
have taken one of them.