The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-03-16

the Majors features were to beseen much as
they had been in life then all dissolycd J, 1"
lust.
There was no ruby riug-tLat must lave
been a fable but there was Something glii
tering among the remains, and on tlkingi it
out it proved to be a plain gold hoop.
''well, that's worth a pound, that is" cried
the practical Martin, carefully polishing M
the treasure trove. 1t had probably beer
hung round the neck of the departed "A tai:
bony man-for the ring was a small one, and
there were traces of a black ribbon attached
to it.
1t was q disappointment, no doubt and
vet somehow the sight of tho ring had given
Ralph q little hope. 1t was the wedding ring,
he said to himself. his great-grandmother's
w~edding-ring. Tn Major must have been
fond of her to have hadher ring alwaysabout
him and Il had been buried with him. That
had given rise to the story about the ruby.
He drove home, after giving directions about
the disposal of the collins, feeling less sore
Mt heart. He was now convinced that they
had right on their side, and there was some
comfort in that.
When he reached home. he Showed the
ring to Maggie, who agreed with his conclu-
sions.
But there is something inside-some let
tiers, Think, she cried.
1t is only the Hallmark, said Ralph,
having looked in his turn. But stop. That
tells us something it will give us a date
How can that be p asked Maggie.
Because there is a different mark every
year. See! you can make it out with a mag
nifying- glass. King George in n pigtail'
The silversmith ut Gigglesham turned up
his tabulated list of Hall-mnrks, and told
them at once the date of the ring-17GO.
.But it might nave been made q long time
before 1t was first used suggested Maggie
True but it could not have been used
before it was made, replied Ralph. 1t gives
US n date approximately, Mt all events.
At first the knowledge of this date did not
seem likely to be of much use to them. But
it gave them the heart to go on aud max"
further inquiries. Ralph threw himself Into
the task with fervour. Ho obtained leave to
search the records of the Horse Guards aud
ascertained at last whore had been stationed
the regiment that Richard Hammond then
belonged to in that same year.
1t was Mt Canterbury, as IL happened and
that seemed significant, for il was not % far
from there TO his sweethearts home nj Milton
Ralphwent over to Canterbury. and with tie
help of n clerk of Mr.. Smiths. searched all
the parish registers between the tso laccs;
but found nothing.
Tie t:;ai WIS coming on in afew week.,
lud 10. = scrap ~ evidence could theygei If
tine marriage Of Major hammond. The otlier
sile wCru hi. OF confidence, and wen they
might be. RnlIl. had nude up his mind to
return huinr. nul WINS walking disrGntolat,l ~
down Tie High Street of Canterbury one day
when lie raw over n shop window the sign,
'PHGRlr, Goldsmith established lTl5.'
i wonder, lie said TO himself, If my great.
grandfather bought q w~edding-ring thcrpT
A sudden impulse sent him into The slion.
4 a;.. la,Ii,,yt oil ftautlarnnn viii. ln,ptyiiE
hair, was sitting behind the counter, peeriug
into the works Of n watch through IN elonga-
ted eye-glass.
Ralph brought out his ring. "Do you
think this ring was bought at your shop he
asked.
GLOW long ago 2" asked Mr.. Pilgrim.
taking up the ring and looking at it all
round.
about the year 100"
"Ah-h! l can't remember so long ago as
that. II was in my father s time; but for all
that, perhaps I can tell you"
He took up the magnifying. glass. and ex-
amined the ring carefully once more.
Yes he said, looking up, a mysterious
expression on his face, that ringwas bought
from my father, l have no doubt"
Ralph questioned him IA to the sources of
his knowledge; and Mr.. Pilgrim told him at
last. II was his fathers practice to put his
private mark upon all the jewellery he sold.
lie could do it in those days, when his stock
was small and all his own. In these times
of changing fashions, whom much of a jewel.
ler's stock is on approval, this would be i'm
possible.
Ralph listened to these explanations with
brcathless Impotence. Had Mr.. Pilgrim any
books belonging to his father which might
possibly Show the sale? The old gentleman
admitted that he had O lot of his fathers old
accountbooks up in n garnet; but it would be
very troublesome to get Mt them and what
would be the use?
"Why." said Ralph, ''you might possibly
make thehappiness of two young people, who
otherwise may be sundered all their lives. "
lilo explained enough of the circumstances to
showthe old gentleman that twas not an af-
tair of mere idle curiosity and after that he
entered into the quest with ardor. Pilgrim.
his father had kept each year q sort OF rough
daybook, in which he entered transactions rs
they occurred, with occasional short annOta
tions. And at last, after n long, troublesome
search. they found the bookfor the year l76O
and 176l. Nothing was to hs made OF the
first but in the second they had the delight
of finding the following entry so March,
sold ring, young Master Hammond, two
guineas saw We wedding afterwards ut st,
Mary's, Faversham."
That night all the church-bells of Giggles.
ham were set %a-ringing, for the news oozed
out that Ralph Grant had come home with
full proofs of the marriage that would make
good his title TO Westbury. For the young
people were liked by everybody, willis;
Boobies was generally execrated. Indeed,
the case never came on for trial, as Boobies
withdrew the record when he found that
there was full evidence to refute his claim.
Ralph and Maggie were married soon after
wards: and the bride wore MS a keeper over
the golden circle, her own special dover, the
long-buried but happily recovered treasure,
Major Hammond's ring.
Tablos-Legs have they but they walk