The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-03-02

teteet IN tue Underground WORK, even to
the neglect Of more profitable business,
was on the lookoutfor Lieutenant Grant,
and greeted him CHEEKY.
"We'ye got 'em all laid out in the
yestry, Cap'n Grant, all the whole family;
and now the question Is, what are you
going TO have done with themH Would
you like 'em put in the waits below,
where they'll all DO done up In lime and
plaster? or would you like 'em moved
somewhere else more in the open air
likeP
1.-THE least expensive way, I should
say, replied Ralph grimly. Somehow
or other his appreciation Of his ancestors
was deadened by this last stroke OF fate in
cutting him adrift from his succession.
"But look here, Martin" he went on, tax.
ing the plumber aside; "there Is one Of
the collins, Major Hammond's, should
like to have opened. It can be done?"
easy enough, air." cried Martin, who,
to say the truth, was delighted at the
prospect Of little charnel.house work.
"He's a lead 'uu, be ia. I'll have the top
offin no time.r
Ralph looked grayely down at the last
remains Of the Hammonds. The wife, II
she had been q wife, on whom the inheri.
lance hung, was not there; she had died
In India. But there was the Majors
coffin, the woodwork decayed, but the
leaden envelope as sound ne ever.
Martin was quickly at work with his
tools. The cover was stripped of, and
for moment the Majors features were
to be seen as much Us they had been in
life; then all dissolved into dust
There was no ruby ring-that must
have been q fable; but there was some
thing glittering among the remains, and
on taking it out, 1t proved to be plain
gold hoop.
swell, that's worth q pound, that is,"
cried the practical Martin, carefully pol.
ishing up the treasure. trove. Il had
probably been hung round the neck Of
the departed-a tall, bony man-for the
ring was q small one, and there were
traces Of black ribbon attached 10 1t.
Il was disappointment, no doubt; and
yet somehow the sight Of the ring had
given Ralph little hope. It was the
wedding ring, he said 10 himself, his
great.grandmother's wedding ring. The
Major must have been fond OF her to
have had her ring always about him;
and II had been buried with him. That
had given rise to the story about the
ruby. BE drove home, after giving di-
rections about the disposal OF the collins,
feeling less sore at heart. He was now
convinced that they had right on their
aide, and there was some comfort In that.
When he reached home, he showed the
ring to Maggie, who agreed with his con.
illusions.
"But there Is something inside-some
letters, l think" she cried.
at Is only the Hallmark" said Ralph,
having looked in his turn. "But stop.
That tells us something; it will give us
date"
"How can that be 2" asked Maggie.
because there is different mark
every year. SEE! yon can make it out
with a magnifying.glass. King George
is a pigtail." :,
The silversmith at Gigglesham turned
up bis tabulated list Of Hall marks, and
told them at once the date Of the ring
1850.
"But II must have been made a long
time before 1t was first used" suggested
Maggie.
"True; but It could not have been used
before 1t was made" replied Ralph. ut
gives us date approximately, at all
events"
AT first The knowledge OF this date did
not Reem likely TO be Of much use to them.
But II gave them the heart TO 90 on and
make further inquiries. Ralph threw
himself into the task with iervor. lie
obtained leave to search the records OF
the Horse Guards; and ascertained at last
where had been stationed the regiment
that Richard Hammond then belonged to
in that same year.
1t was at Canterbury, Us 1t happened;
and that seemed significant, for 1t was not
20 far from there to his sweethearLs
home at Milton. Ralph went over to
Canterbury, and with the help Of clerk
OF Mr.. Smiths searched all the parish
registers between the two places; but
found nothing.
The trial was coming on in few weeks,
and not Il scrap Of evidence could they
get OF the marriage Of Major Hammond.
The other aide were full OF confidence.
and well they might be. Ralph had made
up his mind TO return home, and was
walking disconsolalely down The High
street Of Canterbury one day when he
saw over a shop window the sign, "Pil.
grim, Goldsmith; established l7l5."
~ wonder" he said to himself, "if my
great.grandfather bought his wedding.
ring there"
4 sudden impulse sent him into the
shop. A nice-fookipg old gentleman,
with long, white hair, was sitting behind
the counter, peerIng into the works OF
watch through an elongated eye.glass.
Ralph brought ont his ring. "Do you
think that ring was bought at your shop!"
he asked.
"How long ago?" asked MIR. Pilgrim,
taking up the ring and looking at it all
round.
"About the year 1900"
"Ah.h can't remember so long ago
as that. 1t was 10 my fathers time; but
for all that, perhaps | can tell you,'
He took up the magniiying glass, and
examined the ring carefully once more.
"YeS," he said, looking up, mysteri.
Gus expression on his face, that ring
was bought from my father, ! have no
doubt"
Ralph questioned him as the sources Of
his knowledge; and Mr.. Pilgrim told him
at last. 1t WAS his fathers practice to
put his private mark upon all the jewel.
~ be sold. lie could do it in those days,
when his ptock was small aud all his own.
In these times Of changing fashions, when
much OF a jewellers stock is on approval,
this would be impossible.
Ralph listened to these explanations
with breathless impotence. Had Mr..
Pilgrim any books belonging to his faith.
er which might possibly show the sale
The old gentleman admitted that he had
a lot Of his iather's old account.bo up
in 4 garnet, but it would be very trouble.
some to get At them; aud what would be
the use :.
"Why," said Ralph, "you might posi-.
bly, make the happiness Of two young
people, who otherwise may be rundered
all their lives" He explained enough Of
the circumstances to show the old gentle
IL