"I have lived among those to whom they belonged, and I am very fond of precious stones."
He went away to his own cabin and came back presently with a good-sized bundle done up in blue velvet, and opened it before her. Wulfrey was surprised at the extent of his treasure-trove. For these were only his most precious possessions. He knew that he had in addition considerable store of silver articles which he had been allowed to examine from time to time.
If Macro's idea had been to dazzle her with his riches he must have been disappointed. For she greeted the display with a depreciatory "T't—t't!"—and said presently, as she picked out a piece here and there for examination, "It looks like a peddler's pack.... And it makes me sad to think of those to whom they belonged...."
"They've no further use for them. And there's no telling who they belonged to. They're for any man's getting now," said Macro defensively.
"I suppose so. All the same ... For me—no!" with a most decided shake of the head.
"Are they good, or is there false ones among them too?"
"Many are good," she said, passing them rapidly and somewhat distastefully under her delicate fingers, "but not by any means all.... You have laboured hard to accumulate so much."
"Harder than ever I worked in my life before, but it suits me fine."
"But what good is it all unless you can get away from here and turn it to some good use?"
"We'll talk of that when I've got all I want, mebbe."