“It’s from Lucknow, colonel. Loot, I’m afraid.”
“Loot?” The colonel looked more serious, as he asked the question.
“I’m not certain—only circumstantial evidence. You see, there was a lot of looting when we entered Lucknow, and the Sikhs and Jung Bahadur’s Gurkhas got nearly everything. Jung’s men took several thousand carts filled with loot back to Nepal. A day or two before I was wounded I happened to save the life of one of Jung’s Gurkhas who was being set upon by a crowd. He seemed to be an officer of good standing, and he was very grateful, and when I spoke to him in Magar-Kura, he was just delighted. When I was well enough I found that this parcel had been handed to me, and this necklace was inside, and not a word of explanation. So I guess they came from him, but couldn’t make sure as he’d gone. It was probably one of many things he’d picked up in the palace, but I don’t know that for certain. They were allowed to loot for a little while to repay their services, so it’s come by perfectly honestly, Ethel. I offered it to the general of our column for him to send to the common stock, but he sent back word that it was mine, right enough. So it’s quite right, isn’t it, Colonel Woodburn? Mayn’t she accept it with a clear conscience?”
“Certainly, except that it’s much too costly a present to accept, Ted.”
“It is indeed, old boy. I’m very, very grateful, and it’s very generous of you, but you must keep it. You’d be sorry in a year or two, and you’d blame me for taking it.”
Ted began to grow angry. “If you won’t take it, Ethel,” he sullenly declared, “I’ll throw it on the fire. I mean it.”
“But, Ted, you’ll be married some day, and think how you would like your wife to have this—and she ought to have it. Then you would think it mean of me to have taken it.”
He laughed scornfully.
“Marry? Me? I’m not going to get married! I don’t want anyone to have it but you; I meant it for you as soon as I saw it.”
A way of escape occurred to the girl.