Just before dinner, Samantha looked around carefully, feigning stealth while in reality making sure Don Griffin saw her. She stole away to the girls' dorm, saw she was alone, and unwrapped the necklace. She was going to make a show of admiring it, but when she saw it, she was stunned in reality by its beauty. She pulled out the cuff of her sweater to polish it reverently. She very carefully tried it on, and examined the results in the mirror.
She was completely unaware of Don stealing up behind her until she noticed him in the mirror. She gave a little squawk of surprise and fear before he covered her mouth with his hand.
"Shh!" he hissed. "Where'd you get that?"
She delivered her lines, "It belongs to Vincent. It was in his blanket when they found him as a baby. We think it's from his family, like an inhei-a-loom."
"That's air-a-tence, stupid. So, you stole it from Vincent?"
"I didn't steal it. He was letting me copy the design for an apron I was embroidering. You guys just busted in and took us. I didn't have time to put it away."
"Huh. Well…could I see it?" he feigned innocence.
"I don't know," she hesitated. "It's pretty special, and it's not even mine to lend out."
"I promise I just want to see it. For a minute."
"Well…just for a minute, I guess," she said. She took it off and handed it to him. "Be careful," she admonished.
He nodded humbly, and took it in his hands. He'd never seen anything so marvelous, so lovely. "Can I put it on?" he asked.
She thought for a second. "I guess so. But you have to give it right back."
"Oh, I will, I will," he lied. He put it around his neck and examined the results in the mirror. He looked like a king, wearing this powerful emblem. He had to have it. "Hey…uh, what would you trade to let me wear this for a little while?"
"Oh, no! No! You promised to give it right back!"
"Okay, okay! I'll give it back right now!" He moved to take it off, but hesitated. "Unless…there's something you want…then I could wear it for awhile, and give it back later."
She calmed down, and thought for a second. "Well…I do really like Jenny's dollhouse…"
"Okay, then, you can play with it while I wear this. Just let me know when you want to trade back, okay?"
She beamed. "Okay!"
Don turned and walked away a happy man, having put one over on a stupid kid, and Samantha learned a very valuable life lesson. She canvassed the encampment, looking for Kyle Griffin. Her eyes popped when she spotted him—he looked like he should be in the clinic chamber. He was sitting at a picnic table, and he was pale, sweating, and shaking. Moira was handing him a glass of water, but as he tried to bring it to his mouth, he spilled it all over.
"Kyle, are you sick?" she asked him.
"I've been better, kid." Just then, he noticed Don, wearing the cross. He whistled through his teeth. Moira followed his gaze, and her jaw dropped open.
"Wow, that's some necklace he's got, huh?" said Samantha.
"Yeah," grunted Kyle.
"I'm gonna be real nice to Bishop, and maybe he'll give me a necklace."
"Bishop gave him that?" asked Moira.
She stared at them for a second. "I thought Bishop decided what everyone gets?" she answered.
Kyle and Moira returned their stare at Don, forgetting about Samantha. Samantha, seeing their eyes glaze over, took her leave.
She returned to the playground, and joined some girls playing jump rope. "I wish I had a nickel, I wish I had a dime, I wish I had a necklace like Don's to wear on me all the time!" The girls stopped turning the rope, and Samantha cheerfully 'explained' about Don's necklace. Samantha said no more about it, but she didn't have to. The story spread faster than the rash that was going around camp.