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Lil stood transfixed by the table. She was so short by it, that her eyes barely came above it. She stood on tiptoe to hook her chin over the top, so that she could look at the torque more easily. Her brother took the ring, but that was small and insignificant to her. She heard as though in a distance her brother advise against leaving by the door. She understood his plan to escape by window, but she made no movement.
Slowly, her fingers reached out and closed around the heavy, gold piece and she drew it back to herself and stared at it.
“Come on. Hurry!” came Tom’s pressuring voice. “We don’t want to get caught in here!”
Lil, smiling a small, delighted smile, and holding the torque in both hands, turned slowly to obey. But then the sound of heavy clumping boots could be heard in the hall outside. Her head jerked upwards in alarm, the smile was dashed off of her face. She stuffed the torque into her apron pocket and darted towards the window. In a moment, she was out, and the next moment, Tom was out after her.
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