, 1879-10-09
The Lost Ring.

the hungry mouths that must be filed,
were too strong for me, and l engaged
myself to her. True, she asked no refer
ence but why need she!
"You are poor, Louise" she said, with
q slight French accent, money is Of no
account to mel only ask you to be
faithful. | said that l should travel; so
YOU must supply your brothers and
sisters wants before we go, [ shall be
liberal with you. Take this"
As she spoke, she reached out six or
eight half eagles. | drew back my hand.
ut is too much" | said.
"Allow me to be the Judge of that.
/ know what will be required Of you"
A little chill ran over me, What
would be required of mel | looked up
to see, if possible, what meaning lay
hidden beneath her words.
81 shall travel as fancy pleases," she
continued.
Gone spot is as pleasant to me as
another. / 90 in seach of something
which | have lost. 1t may be here, it
nav be there. l have nothing to guide
me in nv search. 1t is all blind chance"
At first | was not happy in my migra.
tory life. used to long for home-,or
what had been homeland for the
caresses of those I loved But this did
not last long. Marie Rosis soon grew
to be the world to me, and / her bond
slave.
Sometimes we rested for two or three
weeks from our travels, and then wen;
forward day after day and week after
week, without stopping, | do not know
how long | had been with her, when |
discovered that we were not travelling
alone-that we bad follower, who pur-
sued us from place to place with un-
wayering persistence. He did not seem
to be conscious of u.s. He never ad-
dressed us-he only followed us like a
shadow. l do not know why I did not
speak of him to madame, nor why she
did not mention him to me. | used to
think sometimes that she did not see
him, and yet, why mott Her eyes were
too sharp to allow anything to escape
them. Perhaps she was afraid that she
might alarm ME by speaking. We were
two women journeying aloneiwith no one
to protect us, and was naturally timid.
Still, about this man, with his gentle
mouth and clear blue eyes, there was
little to alarm any woman. Ordinary
people Madame Marie did not notice,
and this gentleman's presence was not
marked So | tried to think no more
about him.
1t was after this stranger came that |
learned what madame was searching for.
A ring that had mysteriously disappeared
from her finger one night while she was
sleeping A strange ring with garnet
heart for its CENTER all that she had left
of Monsieur Rosis. | glanced at her in
surprise.
"Was it you, wedding ringP
"Better than that Monsieur Rosis
gave it to me while he was dying He
camo back to life to give it to me-just
as we turn back when we have forgotten
something"
/ looked at her keenly, Was the
woman crazy
"He gave it to me, and said that a
curse would follow me if lost it. | did
not lose tit went away from me; but
l am not happy. Monsieur Rosis was
very hard.
"But you are not to blame for what
you could not help"
"Ah but if lover took it :" she said
shaking her head slowly, 81 had. fallen
asleep in the drawing room-the day
was warm When | awoke monsieurs
heart was gone, and the air full of
shadows. I've been searching ever since
for it"
She began pacing up and down the
room. We were stopping for week at
q hotel in Il large inland town. This
conversation had been carried on in the
parlor, long, wide room, looking west
ward As madame walked, | thought |
had never seen her half so beautiful.
She wore o dress of some soft black stuff
which trailed on the bright-hued carpet.
This was relieved by gauzy scarlet
mantle, as delicate and flmy as the wing
Of a butterfly. While she went to and
fro restlessly, the stranger came noise,
lessly in and walked beside her. She'did
not notice him but looked straight out