The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-05-06
WHOLE NUMBER S72.

him. Pale and forlorn, and hungry looking,
the friend OF Leo K. and OF Lorenzo da
Medici, the apologist of Hypatia, the man of
grand ideas and slender resources was at the
end of his forlorn fortunes.
He was attempting to dispose of piece OF
Jewelry when l entered, ia haggling shop
man, who was attentvely examining the
article.
and told me that he had been lying i'll at
Geneva for a month, aud that, his letters hav-
ing failed to arrive, etc, he was obliged to
sell some few little ''objects" which he had
collected in his travels.
looked earelessly at the " object" which
was to help poor Handysidc along little
further, aud saw the ring with two lions.
With some perturbation ! asked leave TO
examine it. Yes, there was the winHng lion
the same ring, l could have sworn, that
had given to Mary observation-disclosures with
ruby eyes and all ] asked Mr.. Marbury
where he had picked up curious thing.
al bought it in Venice" said he, in one
of those little shops on the Rialto. Why do
you ask ~
Brcanse I too bought one there exactly
like this. said ], eying hfm closely.
| That is not improbable" said the jewel
er. 'Such curious ring as this was proba-
bly, the badge of society, and there were
| many of them; but it is very interesting"
EYES," said Marbury, waking up to his
learning and useless research. "Some We
netian lcague-somc brothers in their in
fernal couneils-probabiy had these rings for
midnight warnings, subaqueous commun-
ings, murderous messages. See what cum
ming, malignant expression the old lion has
| with his diamond eyesr'
"How much is it worth to yous" said he,
suddenly dropping from the fifteenth to the
nineteenth century.
1 M I !, l.s1
al would like to bring the two rings to-
gether."
Certainly" said Marbury, magnifcently.
| So the jeweler not having to pay for it him
self put Il very good price on the ring, and
became its owner, as l believed for the see
ond time, and the old lion winked ut me con-
fidentially.
And yet how was that possible2 What
connection could there be between this dis
reputable old man and my beautiful Mary
Was he thief, and had he hung about the
party, of which (by his interest in Mrs. Jes-
samine) he evidently knew something, until
he could despoil them of their watches and
| ringss Or was the other supposition proba-
| Bile, that he, like myself, had fallen on re-
pository of rings with two lions" and had
bought one, as had done, cnamored of the
curiosity? He was just the man to buy use
less things even with his funds very low.
| / concluded to ask him, when i saw him
| again, some leading questions about Mrs.
Jessamine's party, but he had walked quick
ly away when the money was paid over to
him for the ring, and | could not find him in
all Geneva He was the sort of man not to
be found when he was wanted. 1t was one
of his talents. Perhaps he was so little
sought after that he had never cultivated
being found
/ went thoroughly over and through Swift
zerland before caught my bird. Then, just
as ] had given up looking, Mary and hef
aunt walked in at Interlaken and took Their
seats below me at the table d'hotc.
They did not see me until the dinner was
nearly over. | had looked at a certain well
known white hand, and l saw that the taper
finger which had worn the "ring with two
lions" was empty.
Then / became convinced that Handysde
Marbury was thief. He had dogged these
two women, and he had stolen this jewel
which Mary, after the fashion of women
had left on her pincushion or dressing-table
/ met the ladies of course after dinner, and
found them both glad TO see me. Mrs. Jes
samine was somewhat agitated over u rob
berry she had suffered from in Paris, and
talked of hundred Napolcons which had
gone as if they were ten thousand.
| So | was right. Mary had put on heI
gloves as | approached her; she did not want
me to see her loss, | suppose
When ! had an opportunity to speak with
her alone she told me that the Carter en-.
gagement was broken off, and that Mrs Jes-
saminc was very sad about it. Mr.. Carter
had relucted at the very stringent leading
proposed putting him. The ladies al
To- ,Ta tS ein aher M n har M sD s1S We & Al
bought little blue forget-me-not ring on
the Quai Voltare, and prepared myself for
action. When Mary and ! were alone to-
gether, | led the conversation toward the
ring.
did they, Mary?"
She colorcd violently, and said:
"So-so you heard of our robberyy'
"Why, OF course; you heard your aunt
telling me; but, Mary, hold out your hand. v
And pulled out of my pocket the ring
with two lions We were sitting on one OF
the little benches in the grounds of the
Hotel de Ia Paix when this happened, and
were quite alone. i never saw one so utterly
frightened and agitated as Mary. She looked
at the ring, and at me, with eyes that seemed
all but starting from her head, and with a
face as pale as death.
Tell me, tell me! What do you know
about itg''
1t was now my turn to he agitated. She
referred undoubtedly TO the burglary in
Paris, and what did | know about it? Had
| not become at once and most innocently q
very important link in the chain of evidence
and did l wish to give up poor shabby old
| | Handysidc Marbury on a mere suspicion
for was it not altogether possible that he had
found fac-simile of the ring instead OF
stealing it? And vet, if | told the whole
} truth, was in honor bound to share the
! suspicious | had of this man with Mrs
| Jessamine.
Mary looked at me so piteously that
hastencd to put her out of pain, and deter
, | mined at the same moment not to implicatt
} Marbury. l told her part OF the truth
which was, that / had found the ring in
/ Geneva, and that / had conyersed with the
jsweler about it, not forgetting his ingcn
: ious suggestion that the ring was one
Of many probably the badge of a Sc
cret society She grew composed, and al
) | lowed me to once more put it on her finger
and to place as guard the little circlet o
blue forget me -nots, from the Quai Voltaire
. But she would not allow me to question hel
I further about our future plans She was a.
| mysterious as ever.
When we went back to the Hotel de |.
: Paix we found Mrs. Jessamine in very grea
, spirits She had had telegram from Paris
Her stolen goods had been found, ant
awaited her identification in Paris. Strangel,
, enough, this news seemed to give Mary new
, | hope and cheerfulness. Ibegan to be almos
, afraid that the family talent of avarice hao
descended to Mary, she showed such over
whelming pleasure in this discovery. Th
thief had been found-one of the hotel serv
ants - and Mrs. Jessamine's jcwelry ant
, hundred Napoleons were safe.
She came to me that evening, my dear littl'
| girl. and asked me to take walk with her
She put her hand in my arm and looked vi
; in my face smilingly:
"T have been relieved from terrible fear
Louis" said she, and | am going to trea
myself to the pleasure of loving you for
few hours, and telling you so; but you mus
not ask me single question; you must en-
: Joy the present, and put up with mysteries
! for a little while longer"
So we walked and talked as lovers will
9 and we had Mont Blanc looking down upoI
! US with just his rosy smile, and then his COLI
and icy moonlight splendor. But 1t was al
the same to us; we had our sunshine care
. | fully prepared for our own use, and carried
: it with us.
When we got to the hotel we found Mrs
Jessamine in terrible temper She was in
dignant that Mary should have left at such
time with the preparation for Paris yet un
, | finished. Mary took her aunt's abuse lik
one walking in dream. and took ii with
: condensed bitterness which / cannot dc
! srcibe.
When Mary and her aunt had departed
1, walked to the bankers for my letters.
: found one from Baron Hammerstein, sayin.
, that Ainslie had proposed for the hand o
| Bertha, and asking me If he were suitable
, match for his sister.
Here was complication: to recommend
or to disable Ainsle a. suitor for a high
G | born German maiden; to expose or shiel'
t poor old Hsndyside Marbury. These tw,
c questions presented themselves to my con
5 | sciousness.
s walked to the bridge and leaned over
: looking into the blue waters of Lake Lcman
I How much" said / TO a contemplativ
swan who came to my call, expecting that