“Now, that is Agnes’ affair,” chuckled Mrs. McCall.
“Oh! It is not Ruth that advertised?” queried the curious Miss Titus.
“Na, na! Tell it her, Agnes,” said the housekeeper.
But Agnes was not sure she wished to describe to this gossipy seamstress all the incidents connected with Queen Alma’s bracelet. She only said:
“Of course, you do not know anybody who has lost such a bracelet?”
“How can I tell till I have seen it?” demanded Miss Titus.
“Well, we have about decided that until somebody comes who describes the bracelet and can explain how and where it was lost that we had better not display it at all,” Agnes said, with more firmness than was usual with her.
“Oh!” sniffed Miss Titus. “I hope you do not think that I have any interest—any personal interest—in inquiring about it?”
“If I thought it was yours, Miss Titus, I would let you see it immediately,” Agnes hastened to assure her. “But of course—”
“There was a bracelet lost right on this street,” said Miss Titus earnestly, meaning Willow Street and pointing that way, “that never was recovered to my knowledge.”