The Van Buren press., 1876-08-22
The Diamond Ring.
. Rnyie. Rnxie. child "

Roxie, Roxie, child"
A young girl, lovely as the morning,
disentangled herself from the laughing
group about her to reply to the lady who
called her.
"Wcll auntie ?" she said, with a back
ward toss of the softest, brightest curls.
and look of saucy defiance out OF arch.
hazel brown eyes.
"What was that heard you say just
nowP'
Roxie colored, but looked saucy still,
and laughed. - don't care" she said,
pouting very becomingly the next mo.
ment; ;"l do like Frank Thorley, although
he is papa's clerk. Ishould,pt have said
so. only Ellen Richmond wsr making fun
of what she calls his assurxsc cs in dahc
ing with me SO often to nieh4n
Il wouldn't dance with f.,n again, ny
dear"
"Wby not, pray p Roxie exclaimed,
elevating her eyebrows.
Because you are very pretty girl
and he is very handsome, impressions.
BILE young man. You may do much
harm.'
al 2"
"Such 6attering preference as you are
evincing for young Thorley's society is
enough to turn any young MATS head
and, coming from girl in your position
to a man in his, is calculated to do harm
Take my advice, Roxie; be already sees
no one in the room but you. Lavish
your witcheries on some one less liable
to lose his wits in consequence of them.
Roxe turned away from her aunt lit.
tie pettshIy, and stole from under hel
| thick thick lashieess farlive glance in young
Thorley's direction. He was indeed
watching her, with his heart in his hand
some eyes; and the vain little beauty
flushed with pleasure.
1t was not long before Frank Thorley
asked her to dance with him again.
"He is SO handsome and graceful, and
so entertaining" Roxie muscd during
the instant's hesitation before she put her
little white glovcd hand in mis-; II will
dance with him-there "
And away she foated in airy circles
1t cant do any harm,n she continued
with some inward misgiving, as her eyes
met auntie's mildly disappearing look.
or fell beneath the impassioned and al.
most too frankly admiling glance of hel
companion; "of course he knows l am
particularly kind to him, because he is
papa's clerk; and he cannot be 50 ridicu
tous as to fall in love with me really, and
it isn't likely we shall ever be together
in this way again
Miss Roxie, however, was mistaken in
her calculations. She had INDUCED in q
momentary whim, and insisted upon his
attending her party.
Asn consequences, sUmeUUdy cfsc fu.
vited him, and then somebody else, and
be was so handsome and entertaining
such graceful addition to any circle
that before the winter was over he had
become very popular, and received more
invitations than he was able to accept
Roxie was surprised, but secretly pleased
at this, and at the continuance of his un
disguised and almost romantic devotion
to herself. Roxie accepted this devotion
with occasional Reluctance, occasional
miseivings Of where it was to end but
she liked it too well to lose this attention
and was perhaps more interested at hear,
tbs n she realized herself
Imagine her CONSERVATION when Frank
Thorley asked her to marry him.
elm sorry, Frank" she murmur
ed, almost incoherently, as she dropped
into a seat
Thorleys eyes flashed momentarily
"You have done wicked thing, Miss
Roxie Lyle" he said. "lf ever woman
led man to balieve she loved him, yor
did me-"
Rox:e stopped him there with haugh
ty gesture, and an angry "You forge
yourself. Mr.. Thorley;' and she swep
imperially past him back to the drawing
room she had quilted moment befor,
on his arm.
Mr.. Vincent Lyle was at the head o.
one of the oldest firms in the city. H,
was a man of sterling integrity and up
rightness himself, and sternly severe up
on any dereliction in another. His clerks
we're all literally paid; and young mar
who could obtain situation, be it eve
so subordinate, with Lyle & Co., was con
sidered to have secured an uncommonl,
good start in life Dishonesty or unfaith
fulness among the clerks was rare; part
ly because of the discrimination exercis
ed in engaging them, and partly because
of the severe and summary reckoning ex
acted from the few offenders.
Mr.. Vincent Lyle WAS not inclined
therefore to deal leniently with tho au.
thor of some small but daring specula
ton that had been going on oflate Wo,
to the guilty one when he discovered him
and from the searching investigation h,
was making he was likely to do that soon
The matter worried him SO long as j
baffled him and he was sitting in his lux
urious library at home, pondering it
when Frank Thorley sent note to him
The merchant stated, as he read, nut
tering;
Sharp fellow, Thorley. wasn't dc
ceived in him Show him up, John"
Mr.. Lyle shook hands with him warm
ly when he care in but Thorley seemed
strangely reluctant, and not noticing tht
seat the merchant offered him, remaining
standing Oh the hearth opposite, his fac,
ashy pale and in his eyes an unwontec
glitter.
Glad to see you. Thorley, glad to Sc,
you. Shan't forgeti it ifyon give me AM
clue to the author OF this scandalous bus
mess"
behold him" Frnnk said, gettin: