The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-01-26
THE DIAMOND RING.


group about her, to reply to the lady who
called her.
"Well, auntieW she said, with back.
ward toss OF the sottest, brightest curls,
and look OF saucy defiance out OF arch,
IAazel-brown eyes.
WHAT was that heard you say just
Inow"
Roxie colored, but looked sauey still,
and laughed.
Il don't care" she said, pouting very
becomlngly the next moment; 81 do like
Frank 1horley, although he is papRs
clerk. L shouldn't have said so, only
Ellen Richmond was. making fun OIL
what sne calls his assurance in dancing
with me so often tonight"
IL wouldn't dance with him again my
DEAR"
| "Why not, praVW Roxie exclaimed,
elevating her graceful eyebrows.
"Beeause you are very pretty girl,
and he is very handsome, impression
able young man. You may do him much
narm"
| "lw
| "Such flattering preference as you are
evincing Tor young Thorley's society is
enough TO turn any young mans head ;
and coming from girl in your position,
to man in his, is calculated TO do harm.
Take my advice, r xle; lie 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"
| RoXie turned away from her aunt a
little pettishly, and stole from under her
thick lashes furtive glance in young
| Fhorley'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" Roxle mused during
the moments hesitation before she put
her little white gloved hand in his, IL
Will dance with hLm-therep'
And away she floated in airy circles.
"lt can't do any HARM" she continued
with some inward misgiVing, as her eyes
met auntie's mildly disapproYlng look, or
| tell beneath the lmpassloned and almost
| too frankiy admrng glance OF her COM
| panlon; "ot course he knows L am par
tlcularly Kind to him, because he's pa
pa's clerk; and he can't be SO ridiculous
as to fall in love with me really, and it
isn't likely we win ever be together this
way again."
Miss Ruxie, however, was mistaken
in her calculations. She had divulged a
momentary whim, and mad insisted upon
his attending her party.
AS consequence, somebody else in
ViteQ HIM, anu tnen somebody else. and
he 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 undisgulsed and almost romantic
devotion to herself. Roxie accepted
ills devotion with occasional reIuct-
ance, occasional misgiVlngs as to where
IL was to end; but she liked it too we'll to
lose, and Was perhaps more Interested
al heart than she realized herself,
Imagine her CONSERVATION, when
Frank rhorley asked ner to IN AIRY him!
'I-Pm sorry, Frank" she murlnured,
almost incoherently, as she dropped into
a seat.
Thorleys eyes flashed momentarily.
~ ouve done wicked tnlng, Miss
RoXie Lyle" he said. "If ever woman
led man 10 believe she loved him, you
did me-"
RoXie stopped him there with a
naughty gesture, and an angry "Youl
forget yourself, Mr.. Thorley;" and she
swept Imperlaliy past nIm, back to the
draWlng-room sne had Quilted a moment
before on his arm.
Mr.. Vincent Lyle was at the head of
one OF the Oldest firms in the city. He
was IN n OF sterling integrity and uu-
rlghtedness himself, and sTernly severe
upon any derellction in another. His
clerks were all literally paid; and a |
young man who could obtain a |
situation, be it ever so subor-
dinate, with Lyle s. Co., was
considered to have secured an uncom-
monty good start in lie. Dishonesty or |
among the clerks OF the |
hrm was rare; partly because of the dis |
exercised i'll engaging them, |
partly because OF the severe aud sum |
mary reckoning exacted from the few |
offenders.
Mr.. Vincent Lyle was not inclined |
therefore 10 deal lehiently with the au-
thor OF some small but daring pecula-
tion that had been going on of late. Woe
20 the guilty one, When he discovered |
him; and from The searching investiga-
tlon he was making, he was likely to DO
that soon. The matter worried him SO
long III Dafn u MN; and he was sitting
In his luXlfIous library at II ONE, ponder
ing 1t, when Frank Thorley sent in a
note 10 HIM.
The ms. chant started, as he read,
nutLerlng:
"Sharp fellow, Thorley. I wasn't de-
'eiVed In him! Show him up, john"
Air. Lyle shook hands with hlln warm
y when he Game iu; but Thorley seemed
'trahSly reluctant, and not noticing the
'eat the merchant offered him, remained
standing on tue hearth opposite, his
ace pare and his eyes in an unwontedI
glitter.
"Glad to see you, Thorley, glad to
zee you. Shan't forget it if you can
give me any clew 10 the author OF this
business" Lyle said.
"Behoid humps Frank said, getting
Yhiter yet.
Mr. Lyle stared.
sit was who stole your money -
frank repeated, with half desperate
Emphasis on The obnoxious word in tne /
Mr.. Lyle stared incredulously a few
moments still, before he could realize i
ne stuPehdousneSs Of the fact. He was
errloly angry then. The very fact that
e had eeen SO ready to Vouch for young t
morley, made his unfaithtulness double t
ulpaole. DE remembered suddenly the 6
ay llle the young man had been leading
late, vague rumors OF which had t
cached ms ears, and said sternly, as S
oon as he could master his voice v
n0lph. l