“My other hand ain't cold,” said Comfort. And she really did not think it was. She was not aware of any sensation in that hand, except that of the gold ring binding together the third and fourth fingers.
Pretty soon the big girl with red cheeks came in. Her cheeks were redder than ever, and her black eyes seemed to have caught something of the sparkle of the frost outside. “Hullo!” said she, when she caught sight of Comfort. “That you, Comfort Pease?”
“Hullo!” Comfort returned, faintly. She was dreadfully afraid of this big girl, who was as much as sixteen years old, and studied algebra, and was also said to have a beau.
“Got that gold ring” inquired the big girl, with a giggle, as she held out her hands to the stove.
Comfort looked at her as if she was going to cry.
“You're real mean to tease her, so there!” said Matilda Stebbins, bravely, in the face of the big girl, who persisted nevertheless.
“Got that gold ring?” she asked again, with her teasing giggle, which the others echoed.
Comfort slowly raised her left arm. She unfolded her little blue fist, and there on the third and fourth fingers of her hand shone the gold ring.
Then there was such an outcry that Miss Tabitha Hanks looked up from her copy, and kept her wary eyes fixed upon the group at the stove.
“My sakes alive, look at Comfort Pease with a gold ring on two fingers!” screamed the big girl. And all the rest joined in. The other scholars in the room came crowding up to the stove. “Le'ss see it!” they demanded of Comfort. They teased her to let them take it. “Lemme take it for just a minute. I'll give it right back, honest,” they begged. But Comfort was firm about that; she would not let that ring go from her own two fingers for one minute.