"When do you mean by 'some day,' Uncle Jasper?" she had ventured to inquire.
"When you are a woman, my dear," he had answered promptly; and then he had taken the jewel from her and had locked it away with the rest.
Celia recalled all this as she stood with her eyes fixed on the safe.
How lovely that diamond butterfly would look in her new, white frock! It was indeed hard, if Uncle Jasper really meant to give it to her later on, that she might not have it now. How greatly Lulu would admire it! Her friend had nothing worthy of comparison with it for value or beauty.
"I wonder if I asked Uncle Jasper to lend it to me if he would?" she mused; then she recollected the decided way in which he had taken it from her, upon her questioning him when some day meant, and felt certain he would not. She crossed the room to the safe and tried the fastening. It opened very easily, being unlocked. Celia's breath came short and fast with excitement as she held the door half open and looked inside. There was the jewel case exactly where she had seen Sir Jasper place it. She fingered it cautiously, and found that it, too, was unlocked.
"How very careless of Uncle Jasper!" she thought as she lifted the cover of the case and glanced at its contents. A sigh of mingled admiration and regret escaped her lips as her eyes fell on the butterfly brooch. How beautiful it was! How the diamonds sparkled! The hot blood flooded Celia's face from brow to chin as a sudden temptation assailed her. Why should she not borrow the brooch? She would easily find an opportunity of replacing it after her return from T— and Sir Jasper would not discover that it was missing, for he had told her that he hardly ever looked at the jewels.
Her fingers strayed towards the coveted ornament. She touched it gently, then took it up, and shut down the lid of the case. She was going to leave the room when her ears caught the sound of Sir Jasper's footsteps, and she hastily retreated to the window, where she stood with her back to the light, facing the room, the butterfly brooch now safely concealed in her pocket.
"Ah, golden locks!" the old man exclaimed, "is that you? So you've come to look me up? I have not quite finished my writing yet, for I was called away to see one of my tenants." He hobbled up to the safe, into which he placed a paper, then fastened and securely locked it, removing the key. "Don't wait for me," he proceeded, "for I shall not be at leisure for nearly an hour."
"Very well, Uncle Jasper," Celia replied, and was leaving the room when he called her back.
"One minute, my dear, you'll want a little extra money in your pocket, now you're going visiting, eh? Here, take this!" —and he slipped a coin into her hand.