She took it off and laid it in her lap, ready.
Her dress of white charmeuse, embroidered with violets, was fastened in
front under a folded and crossed fichu of "shadow" lace and a bunch of
real violets held on by an old-fashioned brooch. Bending forward, she
played at eating Punch a la Romaine, while with her left hand she
contrived to undo three or four hooks from their delicately worked
eyelets. Then, slipping two fingers into the aperture, she tore open her
lace underbodice.
This accomplished, she felt the ring of the blue diamond; but she dared
not break the chain, as she could easily have done. If Ruthven Smith were
planning some trick by which to obtain a glimpse of ring and chain, the
latter must be intact.
Pinching the chain between thumb and finger patiently, persistently, and
very cautiously, she pulled it along until she touched the tiny clasp.
As she did this she glanced down at the lace of her fichu now and then to
make sure that she did not draw the thin line of gold so tightly across
her neck that it became visible in moving.
At last she had the clasp in her hand. Pressed upon sharply, it opened,
and the ring with the blue diamond fell into her palm.
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