He handled it curiously.

He looked at the red string, noted how tightly the knot was tied, and turned it over and over in his hands before he snapped the string.

He was a little ashamed at his eagerness to know what was within its worn newspaper wrapping.

He felt the disgrace of his curiosity, even though he assured himself there was no reason why he should not investigate the package now when all ownership was lost.

He knew that he would never see the woman again, and that she would always remain a mystery to him unless what he held in his hands revealed the secret of her identity.
A half minute more and he was leaning over in the full light of the lamp, his two hands clutching the thing which the paper had disclosed when it dropped to the floor, his eyes staring, his lips parted, and his heart seeming to stand still in the utter amazement of the moment!.