Wait--I must take my things off first."
In a twinkling she had her stage "set" for her surprise. Strangely
stirred herself, she had to gulp once or twice before she could begin
her story. It was difficult to keep it coherent, too, because Mrs.
Moira interrupted her so often with little unnecessary questions.
"Did you really go to New York?"
"And 'twas all night you stayed at the Allendyces themselves?"
Because of her mother's agitation, Beryl abandoned the details with
which she had planned to lead up to the great surprise. She plunged
abruptly to the point of the story.
"Those beads. They _weren't_ just plain beads. They were a precious
necklace made by some queer people, ages and ages ago. _Queens_ have
worn 'em and all sorts of wicked people and they've gone from hand to
hand--I s'pose I ought to say neck to neck--for all these years and
then, suddenly, no one could find them. And Mr. Allendyce's friend--the
collector--gave me _this money_ outright for them and--"
Mrs. Lynch suddenly sprang to furious life. She stood erect, her eyes
flashing, her fingers working in and out, her lips trembling.
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