though I
didn't say so--for having each other's initial on their things--things
like this, I mean. So when somebody gave them each a watch, two the
same, they exchanged them. Lady Myrtle doesn't know what became of our
grandmother's, but she thinks it was lost or stolen, otherwise mother
would have had it. And she has not worn this for ever so long. She says
she always hoped that _some_ day she'd find somebody belonging to
grandmother. Oh Francie, isn't it a good thing I was called "Jacinth?"'

Frances murmured something in reply; her eyes were fixed on the watch.

'The works are first-rate--_better_ than they make them now,' Jacinth
continued; 'and Lady Myrtle has had it thoroughly overhauled by her own
watchmaker in London, so she's sure it'll go perfectly, with any one
careful; and I am careful, am I not, Francie? Lady Myrtle says she could
see I was, almost the first time she spoke to me.'

'Yes,' said Frances, absently, 'I am sure you are, and I am sure Lady
Myrtle thinks you almost perfect.'

But still she gazed at the watch, as if it half-mesmerised her.

'I've felt in such a hurry to tell you about it--to show it to you,'
said Jacinth. 'It seemed to be burning a hole in my pocket, as they say.
I did so wish I could have shown it to some of the girls, but I thought
it was better not.'

This last remark seemed to arouse Frances.

'Yes,' she agreed heartily, 'I think it was much better not.' Then,
after a moment or two's silence, 'I wonder how much it is worth?' she
went on; 'ten or twenty pounds, I daresay?'

'Ten or twenty!' repeated Jacinth; 'oh, much more than that. Forty or
fifty at least, I should say.'

Frances gasped.

'What a lot of things one could do with as much money as that!' she
said. 'I daresay it would be enough to--to'----

'To what?' said Jacinth, a little impatience in her tone.

'Oh--only something I was thinking of--some one who's ill and can't do
what the doctor says,' replied Frances, confusedly.

Jacinth felt irritated.

'I don't understand you, Frances,' she said. 'Do you want to take away
my pleasure in my watch? I've never had one before, you know, and lots
of girls have watches, quite young. Of course I know the value of it
would do lots of things--make some poor family quite rich for a year.
But when you get a new frock of some good stuff and nicely made, I don't
say to you that you might have had it of common print, run up anyhow,
and spent the rest on poor people. Y