“Oh, I have others,” said Maggie in a careless tone; “many more. My dear father was a great traveler, and these are some of the treasures he brought from the East.”
Maggie had by no means forgotten to bring her two boxes of jewellery to Aylmer House. These lay at the bottom of her little trunk, which was, it is true, stowed away in the box-room. But as the girls were at liberty to go there for anything they especially required, she was not troubled on this account.
There came a day, shortly after the great party was arranged, when the rain poured incessantly, and some of the girls were a little restless. Molly and Isabel were wearing their queer Oriental bracelets. Kathleen suddenly caught sight of them, and demanded in an eager tone that Maggie should exhibit her treasures. Maggie, only too pleased to have anything to do which glorified herself, immediately complied. She ran to find Miss Lucy in order to obtain the key of the box-room.
“What do you want it for, dear?” said Miss Johnson in her pleasant voice.
“I have two boxes in the bottom of one of my trunks, Miss Lucy; they are full of curiosities which my father collected from time to time. The girls want to see them. Do you mind my showing them?”
“Of course not, Maggie; but if they are of any value you had better give them to Mrs. Ward to take care of for you.”
“Oh, well,” said Maggie, “I don’t know really whether they are of value or not.” She got rather red as she spoke.
“I should like to see them myself,” said Miss Johnson. “I know a little bit about gems and curios.”
“Certainly, Miss Lucy; do come,” said Maggie. “We’re in our sitting-room, and I shall be only too delighted to show them to you.”
Maggie fetched down her two precious boxes, and soon she was surrounded, not only by her own special satellites, but by every girl in the school. They were all loud in their expressions of rapture at the unique and lovely things which she exhibited to them. 125