If his son Timothy should secure it, he was
advised not to keep it, as its possession brought trouble to the family.
"Then it is legally ours and not treasure-trove," said Halcyone. "Oh,
how good! It will make the Aunts La Sarthe quite rich perhaps, and look
how beautiful it is, the jeweled thing."
They examined it minutely. It was a masterpiece of that great craftsman
and artist and of untold value. Cheiron silently thrilled with the
delight of it--but Halcyone spoke.
"I am glad Ancestor Timothy suggested selling it," she said. "I would
never keep a crucifix, the emblem of sorrow and pain. For me, Christ is
always glorified and happy in heaven. Now what must we do, Master? Must
we at once tell the aunts? But I will not consent to anyone knowing of
this staircase. That would destroy something which I could never
recover. We must pretend we have found it in the long gallery; there is
a recess in the paneling which no one knows of but I, and there we can
put it and find it again. It will be quite safe. Shall we leave it
there, Cheiron, until we come back from abroad? How much do you think it
is worth?"
"Anything up to fifty thousand pounds perhaps to a collector," the
Professor said, "since it is an original and unique.
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