The Press., 1886-12-02
AN AUCTION PURCHASE.

heir to a million.
 Lightfield uttered an exclamation. "You don't mean that the old fellow has done it P
 ''No, not done it, you know. He hasn't keeled over yet, and I 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 only second cousin, shall rake in the whole pile some day if behave we'll 1"
 ':Its doubtful if you do, !" retorted Light field, with laugh.
 Tlllingbury asked where his friend was going.
 "To an auction will you come ?''
 "Why, yes but I don't feel like buying everything at first hand this morning,
 ''Oh. that Is the widest kind of lark. They are going to sell off the unclaimed packages at the. Express Office. The fellows buy them under cover, you know, and when the strings come off it's some times rare fun"
 MT. T. realized that here was an oppor- tunity to safely give vent to the hilarity of his mood
 The office was crowded, the bidding lively.
 He had hearty laugh when a man of six feet unfolded boy's cap; when A solemn old gentleman solemnly took off the wrappings about a fantastical-orna- mental parasol, which in it's covers he had decided must be a walking -stick, when a dude leaped back from sudden collision with Punch and Judy" un warily sprung. and when a young man noted for extreme difidence unsuspectingly displayed to view an infants wardrobe
 Cry your luck" insisted Lightfie.d, and Tilllngbury, quoting the saying about preclous things in small packages, pitched upon what looked as if it might be n small jewel box
 It a0as jewel box. Tillingbury was elated.
 ''l have the prize r he cried.
 curious and half -envions group clns- tered about him as he opened it with an air of pride,
 What made him shut down the lid so hurrledly, while the unmanageable blood swept up to the roots of his hair as he heard universal shout of laughter go up from all about him? There was ln the box massive wedding ring.
 But even Lightfield could not get a sec ond glance at it, and it was not until its purchaser was by himself that he looked attentively at what had caught hls eye alone in the first hasty examination. h. side the ring was date 1928, and there were letters It was these letters that had startled him, s'B. T., to M A. B. His own initials land whose :?
 A change came over Tillingbury- new wrinkle of some kind, his friends said, and they concluded that he was posing for his future part of Fortnnatus. An old ad- dress upon brown paper was often in his hands when he was alone. He had picked it up quietly from the floor of the express office thread Miss Madge A. Riddle. Spruce street, Philadelphia.
 Tllingbury's duty was evidently 10 re- store the ring to it's Rner.
 But no Miss, Mrs. or Mir. Riddle lived at that number on Spruce street. To be sure, he had the directory, and 1t occurred to him to go through the list and make in- quirles for the young ladies, and he began to do it.
 He found Miss Madge 4. Riddle.
 'I-I think I'll tell my friend, and-ah call again. he stammered. looking at an angular, red-headed damsel1 who presented herself an unwitting candi- date for the waiting ring. Then he asked if Miss Riddle had ever lived at No. = Spruce street. The next instant his relief was infinite, and sped away as if he had Mercury's winged slippers on.
 But he would run no more risks of dup- icates.
 Six months passed. It was August. Tillingbury was at watering place. There he found two Miss Riddles. The first seemed very wealthy she had an air of hanghtiness and was surrounded by ad- mlrers. I. learned that her initials were N. A. B., but even this did not open the way to man of his diffident temperament. Miss $. looked upon him with naughty scorn she also had just become engaged | to Mr. Daniels, who was always on hand How could she be approached on the sub l ject of wedding ring?
 If it had been the other the little Miss she was simply Annie. How pretty she was though, slight, graceful and delicate. If he had not vowed himself to sMadge" he saw that-it might have been Annie; that is, so far as his own will could | decide the matter. It was too late for that, however, and Annie made the incest friend. Perhaps she had sister MaIlge. | Why was 1t he never asked her?
 One evening it happened, as it often did. that they were out upon the rocks to- gether. The twilight shadows added to the feeling of remoteness from others. Tillingbury's desire to confide his perplex- ties to his companion grew irresistible.
 s'Miss Annie" he began, ssI have a great puzzle, you know, connected with some namesake of yours, n Miss
 ''Annie ?'' suggested the lady.
 aAh, no; Miss Riddle, a lady whoj aas interested me extremely for several months. z
 ''Ah r in icy tones
 "L mean, you know. 7 foundered Tillino- 1ury, 'fwho would interest me if I knew. Ter"
 "Ahl' with an almost impereeptible having. 'sThen you have seen only her ?''
 No not exactly that. I've never seen Ter at all, you know, but I -- well IT anne into possession of property of hers. ;
 Oh T genially. "And you want to re- tore it?
 Oh--we well-yes, but not immediately, .ou know. That IS, I want to put it in Is place.
 sOf course. "
 There was pause. Mir. T. took tha k title green box from his pocket and open q it slowly.
 ssOh wedding ring And it's for this ady you were speaking of. How-how 1teresting.