Her
acquaintance with Mr. Benjamin, the jeweller, was a fact often present to
her mind. She might not be able to get ten thousand pounds from Mr.
Benjamin; but if she could get eight, or six, or even five, how pleasant
would it be! If she could put away the diamonds for three or four years,
if she could so hide them that no human eyes could see them till she
should again produce them to the light, surely, after so long an interval,
they might be made available! But where should be found such hiding-place?
She understood well how great was the peril while the necklace was in her
own immediate keeping. Any accident might discover it, and if the
slightest suspicion were aroused, the police would come upon her with
violence and discover it. But surely there must be some such hiding-place,
if only she could think of it! Then her mind reverted to all the stories
she had ever heard of mysterious villainies. There must be some way of
accomplishing this thing, if she could only bring her mind to work upon it
exclusively. A hole dug deep into the ground; would not that be the place?
But then, where should the hole be dug? In what spot should she trust the
earth? If anywhere, it must be at Portray.
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