The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-03-20

1on ot the lost ring 10 the officer there. The ofiicer was polite, but gave me small hope of ever seeing my diamond again. l gave 1t up as gone forever.
 was sitting in my hotel dull and de pressed, angry at my own caresessness, and inclined to give up any further holi. day and forget my annoyance by speedy return to my professional duties in Lnn- don, when my friend of the police ofice entered.
 Il am happy" he said, bo~ing politely and smiling with, as thought, snticipa. ton of a handsome Ieward-"l am happy to inform monsieur that we hope soon to place his ring in his hands Oae answering to the description you gave was brought to our office by the 6ader, a countryman of your own. The ring be- ing rather an uncommon one, l felt as- sured that 1t could be no other than the one you had lost. You described it, think, as consisting of five diamonds SC, in the shape of a violet, with a smaller brilliant in the center-a very curious and valuable jewel"
 "Yes, that's it, replied curtly, won- dering why he could not give me back my
 
 Then may safely assume that this is the ring in question ?" He brought out my ring from his pocket and showed it to me.
 1t is," 1 said, stretching out my hand but he did not restore the j.wei, only stood there, holding 1t and smiling more than ever. supposed that he wanted to see some sign of the reward he expected to receive before parting with the uinke,. l took out my purse, and opening it made some remark about showing my appre- citation of his honesty but he shook his head, smiling, if possible, more broadly than before.
 " Do you not wish to know, monsieur how your ring was found ?" he asked with leer which thought was disagree able.
 Well, how was it found?" said taflly.
 My policeman drew himself up 10 de- liver his great effect. "Mousieur, your ring was found in another mans pooke' stared at him in bewilderment, mingled with an indefinite fear, while he continued bis narrative in a less courteous and more confidential tone than he had hitherto assumed. "Ah. mon amt. one may be too clever; ones dex,erity may lead one astray if it be not balanced by discretion You had rot long left the office, when an other Englishman came in complaining that he had lost pocket-oook contain ing all his money. He had put his hand tn his pocket to bring it out, meaning to pay for something, but found 1t gone and in it's pllce a diamond ring-your rug. For my own part, l do not doub. your honesty your generosity You believed, doubtless, that exchange is not robbery, and that, in leaving your ring in exchange tor his portmonpaie, you would at once obt-In memento of a comPa,rio, and do him practical benefit. That IS the interpretation 1 should wish to put op the affair; but the owner of the pocket book will not see |, in that light-he lacks imagination, as so many English do OtcJurse your coming to ask us to try to recover your lost ling tends to give color to his version of the matter, which IS that wh,le you were robbing him of his money, the ring slipped from your hand and remained in hls pocket, and with a lack of sympathy for d ooun;ryT sI which l grieve 10 recount, he demanos that you should be arrested, duty which am reluctantly compelled to fulfil
 was absolutely dumb with surprise and anger. Had had my wis aoou, me, might though circumstances wer. against me-have brought some counter charge of theft against my accuser; but was so s,upeded by the strange turn events had taken that submitted meekly ts be searched, to have the fat-ful pocke, book taken from me, and to be led ava, to prison Somehow, toe, was unable to secure possession of the ring that was tbe cause of my undoing, and have not seen it since my arrest
 So here sit in my cell, depressed and weary a victi 10 the biiterest self proach. could almost wish to be con demned to lifelong imprisonment, for what IS freedom worth to me2 Alter such piece of suicidal folly as have been guilty of, shall never dare to lift up my head among my professional brethren and 1 fear that nothing will be left for me but to take to honesty when my term expires.