She turned round; her eyes were full of tears, her mouth distorted in a grimace of woe.
“Now, by all the gods,” exclaimed Peter, amazed, “what’s the matter with the child?”
“Might ’ave known you’d ’ave got them. Might ’ave known the luck was all agin me.”
“Ye gods and little fishes!” cried Peter, raising his eyes to the sky. “And how was I to know [Pg 254]you wanted the honour of throwing the blessed little wooden hoops yourself? I fancied it was the mere possession of the gorgeous articles that you coveted.”
“What d’you mean?” she queried.
“I acquired these treasures,” returned Peter, “with the sole intention of presenting them to you. If, however, I have been mistaken——”
“For me!” It had never dawned upon her that any one would willingly part with such treasures, once acquired.
“Of course,” said Peter patiently, “for you. May I ask what else you imagined I was going to do with them?” He held the gilt clock and the ruby vase towards her.
Her ugly face was all a-quiver with rapture. “Oh!” she breathed, and she looked at Peter with adoring eyes.
“Here, take them!” laughed Peter.