Wichita eagle., 1888-09-09

and ne was to go round at and talk If
over, so as to take the early train. A
freight train went through Ackenthale
bridge that night, and Bren was detained.
Grosenlok, the debtor, had removed, and
Bren had trouble to find him. It was
three days before he got back. In the
meantime he had had great deal of time
upon his hands. and had been compelled
to think of great many things. One OF
two things he had had to think of great
deal more than he cared. He was glad to
get back. 1t was morning when he ar
rived; he went up and made his report.
You're tired out, Bren," Traveller said
"Knock off today and take a rest. You
can square things up tomorrow"
mo. no." Bren answered, II amt
| tired"
He was glad to find the books all be-
hind. He drove at them all day. In the
evening he went over to Quincy street.
He had told her where he was going; she
was sorry, she had said; he wouldn't be
at Mrs. Mackeron's on Friday. He knew
he should be all right when he saw her;
he didn't know what was tbs matter with
him now. Well, he went round. There
was some company at the house. The
! first thing he saw when he looked in was
| Kate sitting at the piano, where she had
been playing. When she saw Bren stand
/ ing at the door, little flush came sud
denly into her cheek She smiled, and
turned her hand as it lay idly on the keys.
| The light flashed back from her finger as
| it moved. Bren had not been thinking of
/ the ring; only of Kate herself. When the
/ jewel flashed in his eyes. it struck him
back as if he had received blow. He
turned back into the hall and pretended to
! get something out of his coat. He had seen
Kate flush with pleasure almost before
she saw him; and horrible thought went
through him with the diamonds fash.
He had stolen Hates love. 1t struck him
keen and hard. He went in and tried to
be himself. Everywhere the jewel pur-
sued him with its merciless CLEAN. When
he talked to Kate. it put him out and
made him stammer and flush. He was
nervous and out of sorts. He could
not rid himself of that horrible, torment
ing thought; the more he tried the more
it came and came. He was glad to get
away. He went home and took out that
money from an inside pocket. He had
kept it by itself. He had said it was sent
to him; he would use it for no common
purpose. He had given part in charity;
the rest he would spend for Kate. He
laid out what was left. There was just
SIG He folded it up, put it back in the
pocket. He took thread and needle and
sewed it up. He would not have touched
a cent of it now for love or life He went
followed him day and night and stared at
him horribly with one wide. blazing eye
that never shut!
n h. r.
that glittering jewel out Of his head,
bound up with it. Kate had been so gra-
day of the change-the day he had first
had this cursed money to spend. Not
that he blamed her, or thought Of her
once as mercenary. AS soon would he
have thought Of meanness in angel Of
light 1t was surely 10 blanc that she
liked pleasant things. And besides ha
had changed himself, he ought to know.
But whenever and whatever, it came to
the same thing. It was the money that
had made the change. And Bren broke
out into language that I am not going to
repeat.
lie could not keep away from Kate; and
somehow her grace, her goodness, her IA
vor to himself. while they charmed him.
were the kecnest possible pang. The
fash OF the brilliant seemed to burn and
blind him. He said it was bis morbid
Imagination that fancled something evil
in the CLEAN of the cursed stone. Oh, if
he only had the glittering bauble backl
And he went, getting more nervous and
troubled every day. Kate wore the ring
constantly; naturally she thought it
would please Bren. She must have been
sadly perplexed by Bren's behavior. Ma
turally. too. Bren brooded over the thing
until it acquired the power upon him of
magician's spell; and he came to hate and
fear it with a kind and degree of horror
that shall not make you understand.
Then Kate became cold as Bren grew
strange and began to avoid her, while he
could not keep away from the company
where she was. Bern caught her once or
twice regarding him covertly, with a
wondering glance, as he sat apart I'M
easily, and tried to talk with this one and
that. But the end came. One night it
must have come to her dimly that Bren's
strange conduct had something to do with
the ring. She tried it. Watching him
askance. she kept the stone turned so as
to fash upon him wherever he moved.
Bren grew plainly more uneasy under her
hand; moved about, shifted his chair,
changed color and bit his lip, as he caught
the CLEAN again and again. Presently
Bren knew that the ring was gone.
Putting on his hat to come away, feel
ing wretched and almost desperate, Kate
glided out and stood suddenly before him.
erect and proud, an angry flush glowing
in her face, her lips little apart and her
breath coming quick. She did not speak,
but she put out her hand with little
white box. Bren put up his hand irreso-
lutely, half guessing what it was. The
box slipped through his fingers, and
opened as it fell. The diamond flashed in
Bren's eyes, and the ring rolled round and
lay on the floor at his feet. A sudden i'm
pulse of fury seized him. He lifted his
foot and stamped upon the ring, ground
it under his heel as if it had been a
venomous thing that was singing him to
death. Then he turned away and rushed
out into the night.
That moment his mind was made up.
He did not see how he could make it; but
he would if it killed him!
lie sat at his desk next day when
Traveller came in.
"Bren," he said Che noticed how hag-
gard Bren was and wondered. but said
nothing), ''Bren, We'll have to get an
other man. The business is growing, and
I'm tied up more than | can be and do the
outside work"
Bren turned round with an eager face.
on want fellow TO sell!'
Yes"
"W hat will you pay?"
Il can get one for $12"
rCharlaz- " prer, said s'v-i1l ynr, ciye n