The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-05-27
Select Storg.
THE DIAMOND RING.
~Roxie. Roxie, child =

'Roxie. Roxie, child =
A young girl, lovely as the morning, dis.
engaged herself from the laughing group
about her, to reply to the lady who called
her.
.sWell auntie?" she said. with back
ward toss of the softest, brightest curls, and
look of saucy defiance out Of arch, hazel
brown eyes.
what did You say just now 2?
Roxie eolored and laughed
Il don't care. she said. pouting very
becomingly; Il do ike Frank Thorley,
although he is papa's clerk | shouldn' I
have said so, only Ellen Richmond was
making fun of what she calls his assurance
in dancing with me so often tonight
Il wouldn't dance with him again. my
dear"
"Why not. pray p Roxie exclaimed
elevating her graceful eyebrows.
Because you are very pretty girl. and
he is a very handsome young man. You
may do him much harm.
AI?n
.sSueh fattering preference as YOU are
evincing for 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, Roxie, he already sees no one
in the room but You. Lavish your witch
cries on some one less liable to lose his wits
through them.
Roxie turned away from her aunt a lit
tie pettishly, and stole from under her thick
lashes furtive glance in young Thorley's
direction He was indeed watching her,
with his heart in his handsome eyes; and
the vain little beauty flushed with pleasure.
1t was not long before Frank ThorIey
asked her to dance with him again.
.'He is handsome, and graceful, and 80
entertaining Roxie unused during the in
stants hesitation before she put her little
white gloYed hand in his, Il viii dance
with him-there!" And away she foated
in airy circles.
at can't do any harm, she continued
with some inward misgiving, as her eyes
met auntie's mildly disappearing look, or fell
beneath the impassioned and almost too
frankly admiring glance Of her companion;
1'of course he knows am particularly kind
10 him because he's papas clerk; and he
can't be so ridiculous as to fall in love with
me really, and it isn't likely we shall ever
be together this way again.
Miss Roxie, however was mistaken in
her calculations She had INDUCED mo-
mentary within and had insisted upon his
attending her party.
As consequence, somebody else invited
him. and then somebody else and he was
so handsome and entertaining a
graceful addition to any eircle-that before
the winter was over he had become very
popular, and received more invitations than
he was able to accept. Roxie was surpris-
ed, but secretly pleased at this, and at the
continuance Of his undisguised and almost
romantic devotion to herself ROxie ac-
eepted this devotion with occasional reluct-
ance and occasional misgivings as to where /
it was to end; but she liked it too well to
lose, and was, perhaps, more interested at
heart than she realized herself.
Imagine her CONSERVATION when Frank .
Thorley asked her to marry him.
"I-I'm sorry, Frank, she murmured.
almost incorherently, as she dropped into (
seat
Thorley's ewes flashed momentarily.
you've done wicked thing, Miss
Roxie Lyle he said. IF ever woman
led man to believe she loved him, You did
me"
Roxie stopped him there with naughty
~,
self. Mr.. Thornley, and she swept imperial
" past him, back to the drawing-room she
had quilted moment before on his arm
Mr.. Vincent Lyle was at the head Of
one of the oldest firms in the city. He was
a man Of sterling integrity and uprightness
himself, and sternly severe upon any dere-
fiction in another. His clerks were all
literally paid; and young man who could
obtain situation, be it ever so subordi-
nate, with Lyle 4 Co, was considered to
have secured an uncommonly good start in
life. Dishonesty or unfaithfulness among
the clerks of the firm was rare; partly be-
cause of the discrimination exercised in en-
gaging them, partly because Of the severe
and summary reckoning exacted from the
few offenders.
Mr.. Vincent Lyle was not inclined,
therefore, to deal leniently with the author
If some small but daring peculation that
lad been going on of late Woe TO the
guilty one, when he discovered him; and
rom the searching investigation he was /
making he was likely to do that soon The !
natter worried him 50 long as it baffie'i I
him; and he was sitting in his luxurious
library at home bordering it, when Frank /
rhorley sent in a Sote to him.
The merchant started, as he read, NUT {
ering, aSharp fellow, Thorley. | wasn't
deceived in him Show him up, John" '
Mr.. Lyle shook hands with him warmly
Fhen he came in; but Thorley seemed
trangely reluctant, and remained standing
n the hearth opposite, his face pale, and
rs eyes in an unwonted glitter
"Glad to see you, Thorley, glad to see
-ou. Shan't forget it if you can give me S
nv clue to the author of this scandalous
usiness," Lyle said.
aBehold him z Frank said, getting
hitter yet L
Mr. Lyle started. L
1T was I who stole your money" Frank
speated, with half desperate emphasis on 0
he words. o
Mr.. Lyle stared ineredulously few mo C
tents before he could realize the stu I
endousness of the fact. He was terribly Il
ngry then. He remembered suddenly the