Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-11-11
THEY SHARED IT.
The Property Which Depended
Upon a Wedding Ring.


"Express-train, TillingburyP If it's
the last Cunarder you're after, you
needn't hurry so tremendously, that's
just off; I've come from making my
adieux to friends
Tillingbury laughed and waited for
the next speaker. Pm bound for no.
where in particular" he said; II was
only thinking"
Thinking, were you? l never knew
your thoughts to race so before
II never heard before that l was to
be heir to a Million"
Lightiield uttered an exclamation.
"You don't mean that the old fellow
has done it?"
mo, not done it, you know. He
hasn't keeled over yet, and l don't
wish him harm, of course. | can't be
in hurry decently, but he's going to
do it. He has nearer relatives, but he
is outrageous against these; says that
they have treated him abominably, and
that, if / am only second cousin, | shall
rake in the whole pile some day if be-
have we'll"
''lt's doubtful if you do" retorted
Lightfield, with laugh.
Tillingbury asked where his friend
was going.
TO an auction; will you Gomez"
why, yes; but | feel like buying
every thing at tirst-hand this morn
ing"
80, this is the widest kind of a lark.
They are going to sell off the I'M
claimed packages at the - Express
Office. The fellows buy them under
cover, you know, and when the strings
come off it's sometimes rare fun"
Mr., L. realized that here was an OPP
portunity to safely give vent to the hi
larity of his mood. The office was
crowded, the bidding lively.
He had hearty laugh when man
of six feet unfolded boys cap; when
solemn old gentleman solemnly took
off the wrappings about Enthusiastically
Ornamented parasol which in its cover
he had decided must be a walking
stick; when dude leaped back from a
sudden collision with "Punch and
Judy" unwarily sprung; and when a
young man noted for extreme diff
dence unexpectedly displayed to view
an infants wardrobe. .tl
Try your luck" insisted Light
field, and Tillingbury, quoting the say
ing about precious things in small
packages, pitched upon what looked
as if it might be a small jewel-box.
"a vivid Imagination, laughed his
friend, when he heard this suggestion.
1t was a jewel-box. Tillingbury was
elated.
Il have the prize!' he cried.
A curious and half-envious group
clustered about him as he opened it
with an air of pride.
What made him shut down the lid
so hurriedly, while the manageable
blood swept up TO the roots of his fair
hair rs he heard universal shout of
laughter go up from all about himP
There was in the box massive we'd
ding ring.
But even Lightiield could not get a
second glance at it, and it was not un-
til its purchaser was by himself that he
looked attentively at what had caught
his eye alone in the first hasty exam
nation Inside the ring was date,
1928, and there were letters. 1t was
these letters which had startled h n, the
"B, L. to NJ. A. b. his own initials
and whose?
A change came over Tillingbury-a
new wrinkle of some kind, his friends
said, and they concluded that he was
posing for his future part of Fort
unatus. An old address upon brown pa.
per was often in his hands when he
was alone. He had picked it up quiet
" from the floor of the express office
it read: Miss Madge A. Biddle
Spruce street, Philadelphia. "
Tillingbury's duty was evidently t.
restore the ring to its owner,
But no Miss, Mrs. or Mr.. Biddl,
lived at that number on Spruce street
To be sure be had the directory, and i
occurred to him to 60 through the lis
and make inquiries for the youn;
ladies, and he began to do it.
He found Miss Madge A. Biddle.
ell think I'll tell my friend, an,
-ah-well-an call again. he STAN
mered, looking at the angular, red
headed damsel who presented her
self. an unwilling candidate for tn
waiting ring. Then he asked if thi
Miss Biddle had ever lived at No. =
Spruce street. The next instant hi
relief was infinite, and he sped ava
as if he had Mercury's winged slip
pers on.
But he would run no more, risks G
duplicates Six months passed
was August. Tillingbury was at
watering-place. There he found tw
Miss Biddles. The first seemed yer
wealthy: she had an air of hautincs
and WAS surrounded by admirers. l
learned that her initials were nj. A
r.. but even this did not open the wa
70 n man of his diflident tempera
ment. Miss B. looked upon HIM wit
lofty scorn; she also had Just becom
ENGAGED to Mr. Daniels, who was a
ways on hand, How could she be az