Caroline wore continually round her neck a slender braid of silk, attached to which was some trinket. Mrs. Pryor had seen the bit of gold glisten, but had not yet obtained a fair view of it. Her patient never parted with it. When dressed it was hidden in her bosom; as she lay in bed she always held it in her hand. That Tuesday afternoon the transient doze--more like lethargy than sleep--which sometimes abridged the long days, had stolen over her. The weather was hot. While turning in febrile restlessness, she had pushed the coverlets a little aside. Mrs. Pryor bent to replace them. The small, wasted hand, lying nerveless on the sick girl's breast, clasped as usual her jealously-guarded treasure. Those fingers whose attenuation it gave pain to see were now relaxed in sleep. 
Caroline always wore round her neck a slender braid of silk, attached to which was some trinket. When dressed it was hidden; as she lay in bed she held it in her hand. That Tuesday afternoon, as she dozed in feverish restlessness, she had pushed the coverlets a little aside. Mrs. Pryor bent to replace them. The small, wasted hand clasped as usual her jealously-guarded treasure; but its fingers were now relaxed in sleep.
