Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-08-19

tentlv confessed TO Cecil Etherege, /
who, g,oomy-eyed and lowering |
browed, had seen her early detection.
81 love you just the same, Cecil
| lust the same; but can't help being |
gay and merry with Mr.. Trevor, for
he is so nice, only you are so much
nicer
But somehow jealousy had taken
possession of Cecil Etherege's heart as
il never had done before, and the low
ing, artless words of the girl he wor-
shipped failed of their intended assur-
ance.
You shall not receive Philip Ire
vor's attentions, Madge. Can you not
see that the man is in love with your
Can you not understand his devotion
to you is death to me2'
And then the girl had crested her
head with a naughty little posture,
and looked at him.
Cecil, please do not speak in that
way to me. Is 1t not enough that
have told you that l love no one, care
for no one, but your Mr.. Trevor does
not deserve that I should cut him, or
refuse his kindly attentions. He is
not in love with me, Cecil. There is
no harm in anything l have done; but
you must not speak so to me, dear
She stood twisting her beautiful
amethyst ring as she spoke, her blue
eyes shining, her lovely lips half smil-
ing, half pleading, and Cecils con-
science suddenly assured him, and he
caught her to his heart and kissed her.
If you only knew how this accu-sed
Jealousy stabs and thrusts, and kills,
| in its horrid pain, Madge!
Then he left her, and she went up
to her own room, where the bright
moonshine lay in broad silver banners
on the floor, just as it had lain the
night before, when she had come
home, the happiest girl in all the
world. with betrothal ring caressing
her fiuger, and her lovers kisses warm
on her lips.
She sighed as she took off her ring
and laid it on little nest of blue
zephyr on her dressing-table; and
sighed as she took down her lovely
golden hair; and when her fair cheek
pressed the pillow, and the sweet blue
eyes we're closed in sleep, there was
still an occasional faint sigh on her
lovely red lips--a sigh that was cry
of painful surprise in :he morning
when, at the first glance she sent from
her bright dewy eyes to the spot where
her treasure lay, she saw it was not
there.
Strange as it seemed, impossible as
it seemed, her ring was gone!
She searched everywhere, almost in
panic.
i She left no available or unavailable
spot unsearched; and then, with
strangely mingled feelings astonish-
ment and grief, and superstitious
alarm and distress, she was obliged to
accept the mysterious fact that it was
gone.
what will Cecil say? What will he
| Think
She dressed slowly, almost dreading
to 60 down stairs to meet him.
, And while she was arranging her
toilet, Cecil Etherege and Philip
} Trevor were standing on the verandah
Etherege white as death with rage
and hate in his black eyes, as they
! glared at ring that was glittering
and glowing on Trevor's little finger
} an amethyst ring, the very counter
part of one he had given to Madge
: Warren.
WAS it the same ring, in his blind
[ jealousy, did his imagination lead him
astray? He made desperate effort to
ascertain calmly.
| That's handsome ring, Trevor. II
I'm not inquisitlve, wha. did it cost
. you''
: Mr.. Trevor laughed, twisting 1t un-
l til its rays seemed to dazzle and mock
Cecil Etherege's eyes.
!, i really couldn't tell you,' he an
swered lightly. 1T was present, and
Y only that it don't do to tell tales out
of school, old fellow, I might add
. it was from the prettiest girl you'd ev,
er want to see, and there came the
sweetest sort of kiss with it, too
Etherege turned sharply away, his
D face white as the linen he wore, and
went into the parlor and directed a
servant to ask Miss Madge to come
r down at once.
}, They we're several awful minute
Q he passed, waiting to know positively
s if it was his ring Madge had given
: away, and when the girl came IN. al
u most timidly, he saw at glance that
9 the ring was not on her finger.
l Almost fercely he seized her slen'
= der wrist
Where is it?' he asked, in hoarse
n whisper.
r Madge paled under the wrath in his
n eyes.
'Oh, Cecil, you hurtmel Indeed, in
y deed, l am sorry, but [ have looked
y everywhere, and ! cannot find it,
He flung her hand angrily from
r him.
= .Yon wretched treacherous hlrt