Well, at least she had not been caught and in the meantime the jewels were quite safe.
Mr. Heath was too ill to be up and about for several days and until he was able to leave his room there was not the slightest danger their absence would be discovered. Long before that time, Marcia would doubtless go to walk or to the village for mail and leave her ample opportunity to put the loot back where Mr. Heath had hidden it.
She took the case stealthily from her pocket.
Now that the gems were in her possession, it certainly could do no harm for her to look at them—even try them on, as she had been tempted to do when she first discovered them. Probably never again in all her life would she hold in her hand so much wealth and beauty. No one, not Heath himself, could begrudge her a peep at the trinkets.
Accordingly she unwound the handkerchief and opened the box.
There lay the glistening heap of treasure, resplendent in the sunshine, a far more gorgeous spectacle than she had realized.
Going to the bureau, Sylvia took out the jewels, one by one.
She clasped the diamonds about her neck; fastened the emerald brooch in place; put on the sapphire pendant; then added the rings and looked at herself in the gold-framed mirror.