"So brutal that I _will_ accept it," she said. "Is that ring of yours a
favorite?"
"I've had it ever since I can remember. It was my mother's," he said,
rather gravely.
She held out her hand, upon which the costly gems glittered in the
sunlight.
"Choose one to set against it," she said quite quietly.
Howard, roused for once from his sleepy cynicism, met her gaze with
something like astonishment.
"You mean--?" he said, in a low voice.
"I mean that I am going to try to meet your iceberg. You will play
fair, Mr. Howard? You will stand and look on and--be silent?"
He smiled and leant back as if he had considered her strange, audacious
proposal, and felt confident.
"On my honour," he said, with a laugh. "You shall have fair play!" She
laughed softly. "You have not chosen my stake," she said meaningly.
"Ah, no. Pardon! Let me see." He took her hand and examined the rings.
"This--I think it's the most valuable."
"It does not matter," she said. "You will not win it. May I look at
yours?"
He extended his hand with an amused laugh; but without a smile, she
said:
"Yes, it is a quaint ring; I like quaint things.
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