Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-09-14

ordinary trinket, but costly pearl, set in
slender hoop of braided gold.
Farmer Jennings set down his coffee cup an6
stared Mrs. Jennings uttered little cry
Phoebe, who was bringing in a plate of 'ho1
toast from the kitchen, stood still.
''Dear me !" said Mrs. Jennings, "where
can you have dropped it 20
81 never dropped it at ALL" said Laura, pos
itively. sit has been taken-stolen from my
room ~
''But Miss Heritage" said the farmers
wife, mildly, "whois there that would STEALTH,
81 don't know" said Laura, excitedly. u
know that it has been stolen, and wish you
would send for police at once"
Of course there was no one upon whom sus
picion would fall but Phobe-poor friendless
orphaned Phoebe Not exactly friendless eth
or, for Mr. Austin quietly declared that it was
quite impossible that she could have committed
a crime like this.
81 have known her ever since she came tC
Maple Farm" said he. "She never did it %
And Mrs. Jennings valiantly asserted that
ssshe wouldn't never believe no such thing OF
Phoebe, as she never yet so much took pin as
wasn't hers ~
3 "You are all infatuated about the girl, .
said Laura, petulantly. ''Who else could have
taken it,"
'sBut surely Miss Heritage, plead Mr.. Aus
tin, ''you wouldn't prosecute the poor thing
You will give poor Phoebe the benefit OF the
doubt 20
IL do not see that there is any doubt" said
Laura, stiny ); and my pearl ring must be re-
turned" .,
81 will pay you the value of it myself" said
Mr.. Austin, eagerly, 'it-'
"You are very much interested in the cul;
y, ri har I'm
lips ''but that will not answer the ends OF
Justice at all. No. She stole the ring-let
her confess or suffer ~
The curate looked at Laura with mute sur
prise-almost with disgust.
At that moment, when Miss Heritage SAT
like a female Fate, on the sofa, and Mrs. Jen'
nings was comforting poor little Phoebe up
stairs, Job came shuff1ing in.
"Found your ring % said he.
"No," cried Laura.
''Here it is" said Job.
And sure enough the great pearl-shaped
pearl lay glmmering, like drop of moonlight
in the horny palm of his hand.
"Where did you get it % breathlessly de-
manded Miss Heritage.
Job chuckled, and looked rather sheeplsh.
'sSent bushel o. nuts to my cousin Jenny, .
saidJhe. "Jenny was always partial to nuts and
she writ back to me-What dld mean DJ
sendin' her apearl ring in 'em ? Didn't know
she was keepin' company with Peter Crane
And 1 writ didn't send no pearl ring; and
this mornin' this came by post" nodding his
head at the jewel. IAN the very minute | set
eyes on it I knowed it was the one Miss Herr
tage wore that afternoon at the nuttin'."
Laura turned scarlet.
81 must have dropped it in the nuts, )" said
she.
"Of course you did," said Job.
"Wonder you never thought of it afore ~
So the awful shadow of suspicion was taken
off Phoebe, and Miss Heritage even conde
scended to murmur some sort of an apology
before she went away.
'But it's too ridiculous the fuss they made
about that girl" said Miss Heritage, vicious
ly. ssRichard Austin will never forgive me
for daring to doubt her.'
No; it was quite true, Mr.. Austin was com
pletely disencbanted with the dimpled and
rock-hearted Laura. And when he did marry
three years afterwards, the BRIDES name was
simply Phoebe -.-..-,... ..-
For this darksesyed child had grown into ra
diant womanhood, and Richard Austin knew
that she was diamond fit to wear on any
mans breast.