"I am quite well, but I have been suffering from a nervous headache, Hubert," she answered.
"By the way," he said suddenly, "I did not forget to bring a few little souvenirs home with me," and as he spoke he drew two small velvet cases from his pocket, one of which he handed his mother, retaining the other in his hand.
Opening it, Mrs. Varrick found that it contained a magnificent diamond bracelet.
"That is to match, as near as possible, the beautiful bracelet you already have, mother," he said, carelessly.
She reeled back as though he had struck her a sudden blow, and looked at him with terror in her eyes.
"What is there in that other little velvet case?" she asked, as he made no move to hand it to her.
"It is not for you, mother," he responded. "It is for Jessie."
He pressed the little spring and the lid of the purple velvet box flew back, and there, lying on its shimmering satin bed, she beheld a beautiful little turquois ring set with tiny diamonds.
"Jessie has never had a ring in all her life," he declared, "and it will please me to be the one to present her with the first one that will ever grace her little hand. Girl-like, she is fond of such trinkets. The sparkle of the tiny diamonds will delight her as nothing else has done in her whole life."
A discordant laugh broke from Mrs. Varrick's lips.