Her mother fairly gasped. She sat down suddenly and looked up into her eldest daughter’s face with almost a pleading expression in her own.
“My dear Beth!” she whispered.
“Mother dear! what is the matter?” demanded the girl, a little frightened by her mother’s air.
“I—I shrink from telling you. Those beautiful corals! Been in the family so long! And you had been led to expect them!”
Mrs. Baldwin was actually sobbing. Her daughter put both arms around her and hugged her close.
“There, there, dear! Never mind! If you don’t want me to wear them——”
“But I’d be glad to have you wear them, if——”
“If what?”
“If they were yours to wear!”
“What—what do you mean?” stammered Beth.