The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-01-21
oPKNEX,
OR THE
OR THE
FORTUNES OF JULIET CLAYBURN
a Talesof the Palmetto state.
CONTINUED.


Dearest, look ut your finger! There
is the seal of our engagement, and Karl
watched her earnestly, ns she withdrew
her eyes from the water and looked down
Mt her hand
"How superb, Karl-oh, how bean
tiiull" and every feature glowed with
admiration.
cit suits the hand for which it was in.
tended, said Karl; whereupon, of course,
Juliet protested ho was vile hatterer.
"Ihere il something inscribed within
what is it?" and Juliet began to pull the
ring from her finger, in order to gratify
her curiosity.
"Great God!" exclaimed Karl, grasp.
ing her hand with such violent energy,
the frightened girl raised startled glance
to his face, and trembled like a leaf.
Forgive me, juliet did not mean to
alarm you So" he said, in calmer voice.
II did not mean to be so vehement, but
| imploro you, 1 solemnly adjure you,
never let that ring leave your finger.
never take it off upon any consideration
upon any imaginable pretext whatever.
would consider it a dark harbinger OF
evil, if it ever quits your finger, even
for moments time. Julie! listen to
my words--inark them-remember them
act upon them-D that ring is erer re-
mored from tie finger 'ohere Ihaoe placed
Il, Men Ideliere you acW nerey be KopI Ion
Oppenheim's rife"
Karl spoke i'll voice OF solemn, scri.
ons earncstncss, which impressed his
hearcr, in spite Of herself. and carried
conviction to her soul
~ Will remember your words, Karl"
Sho said' still nervous and pale from the
irlght he had given her. Il will ALWAYS
bear them In mind. DO not fear me. T
would suffer death, before it should be
removed from my finger; but, after all,
harl' 1t 's only silly piece Of supersti-
non on your part. l am surprised You
should attach SO much Importance to
anch trihing matter. Yon must see
yourself, tho mere wearing of this ring,
"f inc taxing 1t OIL, cannot possibly af-
iect our destiny in any way
1T is useless to argue the question
Juliet. OF course, tho world would call
IL superstition, as you do. L care not
what you call it. An overpo Nerino. ir.
resistiblo conviction has taken possession
OF my mind, which no argument. no
power of words can exterminate I Iuop
Ill feel lH-H is q part Of mn bein0 AS
long rs that ring remains where nv hand
has placed it, SO long you ronain nv
own; when it srehoved-then, L great
iy iear-you are lost to me. This is no
ordinary ring, Juliet. 1t has descended
to me far back from the medieval ages.
1t ought, by right of precedent, to be-
long to my eldest brother, but I was o
great favorite with my grand father, and
on his deathbed, he handed it to me.
saying, My best-loved son, bequcatll
to you this ring, which consider the
most precious OF my possessions. 1t has
been in the family for hundreds of years,
and holds tho reputation of possessing
marvellous power. Place this ring on
the finger Of person, and as long as
they wear it, their heart remains irrevo-
cab y yours no danger can befall them,
and no power rob you of their affection
1t is talisman-the last piece of that
relic, given by tho mysterious stranger
Of the mountain to tho kind-hearted
peasant-the founder of our race The
legend runs in this wise: Long, long
ago, in tho history of my native land,
when Rudolph. Of Hapsburg, wns seated