Diana did not flinch. "And why aren't you wearing your lovely ring," she asked, "for all the world to see?"
"Oh, but you said I mustn't," Bettina told her, "and so I keep it here."
She tugged at a slender chain which hung around her neck, and brought forth from beneath the embroidered thinness of her gown the two rings, which gave out flashing lights as she bent toward Diana.
Diana did not touch them. "They're lovely," she said, steadily; "aren't they, Sophie?"
"I'm glad he didn't give me pearls," Bettina went on, as Mrs. Martens exclaimed at their beauty, "because pearls mean tears."
"I've always worn pearls," said Diana.
"Oh, but not as love gifts," said Bettina, quickly. "It's only when your lover gives you a pearl that you weep—my mother's gift from my father was a great pearl—and when—he went away—she dropped it—into the sea.
"And I didn't blame her." Bettina was swinging her own rings back and forth, and they gave out a silvery tinkle like a chime of fairy bells. "I didn't blame her, although the pearl was worth a great deal of money and we were poor. I shouldn't want a ring after a man had ceased to love me, would you?"
"Of course not," said Diana, "and now—tell me, what were the other nice things which happened while I was away?"
"Oh," Bettina laughed, "I went fishing with Captain Stubbs and Miss Matthews, and Justin——"