When she found herself in the snowy street she felt strangely bewildered.  She had never been out unattended before, and she knew nothing of the great busy city.  When she turned into the more crowded thoroughfares, she saw several times that the passers-by glanced at her curiously.  Her timid look, her foreign air and richly furred dress, and the fact that she was a child and alone at such an hour, could not fail to attract attention; but though she felt confused and troubled she went bravely on.  It was some time before she found a jeweller’s shop, and when she entered it the men behind the counter looked at her in amazement.  But she went to the one nearest to her and laid the case of jewels on the counter before him.

“I wish,” she said, in her soft low voice, and with the pretty accent, “I wish that you should buy these.”

The man stared at her, and at the ornaments, and then at her again.

“I beg pardon, miss,” he said.

Elizabeth repeated her request.

“I will speak to Mr. Moetyler,” he said, after a moment of hesitation.

He went to the other end of the shop to an elderly man who sat behind a desk.  After he had spoken a few words, the elderly man looked up as if surprised; then he glanced at Elizabeth; then, after speaking a few more words, he came forward.

“You wish to sell these?” he said, looking at the case of jewels with a puzzled expression.

“Yes,” Elizabeth answered.

He bent over the case and took up one ornament after the other and examined them closely.  After he had done this he looked at the little girl’s innocent, trustful face, seeming more puzzled than before.

“Are they your own?” he inquired.

“Yes, they are mine,” she replied, timidly.

“Do you know how much they are worth?”

“I know that they are worth much money,” said Elizabeth.  “I have heard it said so.”

“Do your friends know that you are going to sell them?”

“No,” Elizabeth said, a faint color rising in her delicate face.  “But it is right that I should do it.”

The man spent a few moments in examining them again and, having done so, spoke hesitatingly.

“I am afraid we cannot buy them,” he said.  “It would be impossible, unless your friends first gave their permission.”

“Impossible!” said Elizabeth, and tears rose in her eyes, making them look softer and more wistful than ever.

“We could not do it,” said the jeweller.  “It is out of the question under the circumstances.”

“Do you think,” faltered the poor little saint, “do you think that nobody will buy them?”

“I am afraid not,” was the reply.  “No respectable firm who would pay their real value.  If you take my advice, young lady, you will take them home and consult your friends.”

He spoke kindly, but Elizabeth was overwhelmed with disappointment.  She did not know enough of the world to understand that a richly dressed little girl who offered valuable jewels for sale at night must be a strange and unusual sight.