But when Dr. Dudley saw the pretty ornament he looked grave.
“It is far too expensive a present for you to accept,” he objected. “Diamonds and sapphires are costly stones. This must be worth a great deal of money.”
“Can’t I keep it then?” questioned Polly plaintively. “It will break Chris’s heart if I don’t.”
“We needn’t decide the matter to-night.” He looked across the table to his wife. “What do you think?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” was the doubtful reply. “How can Mr. Morrow buy such jewelry, do you suppose? A night watchman’s position cannot bring him very high wages.”
The Doctor shook his head, and narrowed his eyes in thought. Then he began to talk of other things.
Meantime Polly was in distress. What would Chris say, if she had to give back his beautiful present which she had promised always to keep?
The next afternoon Dr. Dudley brought the matter to a climax by driving over to see the father of little Chris. Perhaps a talk with him would put things in a different light. Thus reasoning, he rang the doorbell at Mr. Morrow’s boarding-house.
“They ain’t here,” began the woman who answered his summons. “They got off, bag and baggage, before breakfast, this morning. He paid up all right,” she exulted, “an’ when they do that I’m done with ’em. He was a good payin’ man straight along, I’ll say that for him; but where he’s gone I do’ know no more ’n West Peak!”