Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-13
NELLY'S RING.


vide intervals he sucked "A minute dose of
smoke with lofty writhe which implied that
10 a great man like him the smoking of that
delicious cigar was as disagreeable as the
:aking of physic to those of common clay.
On hearing my name, this poor creature first
Tied TO stare me out of countenance by way
Of impressing me with his greatness, and
hen, failing completely in that, he fondly
nibbled the silver knob of his cane, took an
Rdmiring glance at his lovely check trousers,
and then said:
You are catcher of thieves, | believer
YES, you are not one of them, are you'll
said, with face Us immovable as that of q
statue
No, no, and be flushed W, and needed a
dainty suck at his cigar TO bring him round
81 come here-to-ah--sc1d you after one
seer
"Yo,J= been robbed, thenT' and spoke in
surrfise, for he did not look so much enraged
or excited as uneasy and confused.
"Yes-ah-I suppose that's the way to put
it. I've been robbed of ring set with dia-
mondS and rubies and all that sort of thing,
you know | bought it some time ago 10
give 70 a lady who is TO be--a.-you know
anu be slmlered like a girl TO imply that the
lady was to be his wife, land l was showing
it to u low person lately, and she put it on
her own uger-and-ah--would you believe
iti-actUaliy kept tn
"Oh, that's common enough I shortly an
swereI, thinking that l understood the whole
case, and the only safe plan is not to so into
the company OF low persons
''True-very true he not very heartily
81,
would refuse to give it up"
"Oh, you didutH and 1 laughed uproar-
iously at his apparent simplicity "You
thought she would give it up whenever you
asked It-ehi Wen, who is she, and where
does she liver
Her name IS Nelly Stephens, and she
works at McNab's, on tho bridge, there-she's
what's called a maehinist, and rather
pretty girl, too"
OH returned with a Sasp, ''she works
then I thought she was a.
"Oh, no, nothing of the kind" be an
swered with a guilty flush and heightened
nibble at his cane {, -. She's "a good enough
girl, bnt she won't give up that ring"
But how did You come to have anything
to do with a girl in her posltionfn [ wonder
ingly asked.
Il can't tell he answered, with pleased
look. Suppose its because I'm so deuced
fascinating. The girls won't keep away
from me; sometimes think I'll be smothered
among them, or fairly eaten up like lump
of sugar candy, and he proudly adjusted bis
cigar and saw that the buttons Of his laven-
der kid gloves were all right.
"Ah! | suppose It's those lovely checked
trousers thai do it;' l eagerly and gravely
suggested.
Cad! l believe you've hit it, he ex-
claimed, as lie bestowed another worship
ing glance on tie small checks. ''No
woman can resist them. But really" he
added, with sublime complacence Il cannot
marry all the delightful creatchas; some of
them must be disappointed. P'r'aps they'll
break their hearts and die. But I'm not to
be blamed for that They should not fall in
love with ne
They should not, indeed e,nphatically
responded
'When will You get me the ringT he
added, quite hlttered by my words.
'Oh, that depends very much on the cum
ming and determination of the thief You
say she took it from you and refused to give
it up57
YES, something like that he uneasily
answered land it cost me SO, and that's
too much to lose
well you know, when woman sets her
heart on a thing she generally succeeds, so
shall probably not get the ring at all She'll
have It safely hidden, I've no doubt. but we
can take her and punish her for the theft
suppose you told her you were coming here
to lodge the charged"
Eyes, but the cunning jade wouldn't be
lieTe me. It's not easy getting a woman to
believe you're In earnest he added with q
look Of experience and another loving nibble
at his cane knob. What will be her sentence
for stealing that ringr'
"Oh, p'r'aps thirty days. Has she ever beer
here before@
oh, no; She's respectable, YOU know
"Stranye, then, that she should refuse t.
give up tine ring, P'r'aps you've made love
to her, thought
Never, neTer-'pon honor be bolster
ously answered, with a delighted chuckle
however, which implied that making Low,
TO simple girls and then regulating it wa
the most noble occupation in the world
shell very likely tell you some fine story
but you'll not believe herr he auxiousll
added
81 have nothing to do with her story o.
yours. You swear that she stole the rim.
from you, and have simply to recover tina
and have the thief punished"
That's it exactly" lie responded, witt
forced ezuDerance. women are such liar
no one would believe them" and b
twirled the ends Of his pretty mustache an,
looked all around the room, evidently ii
search Of a mirror, before which to arrang
himself before leaving. Then, finding none
he alrny babe me good day, and strutted gu
OF the place, wagging his coat tails benin,
him, much as "a woman might do with q ne7
dress or peacock with new tail
AM lCur or two later went out TO McNab,s
large dressmaaing and tailoring place, an,
asked for Nelly Stephens, the machinist bu
was told that she bad just gone to dinner
None OF those about the place seemed t
know very we'll where she lodged, till one o
the girls said.
ASK joan Jenkins; he's sure to know"
why is he sure to known l asked afte]
the girl bad explained that Jenkins was on,
of the workinS tailors.
Because he's always running after her
though she Wilma lool, at him. answered thu
60 'AN+i - bAsHLt Stlille, WHICH UDlQ NOR
than her words
found jenkins in the hot and steamy
workshop. He was a plain looking, palliC
faced fellow, and clothed in such ragget
working things that 1t was absolutely mar
vel how be got into them. He looked W
with start when l asked for Nelly Ste
phens' address, and he appeared to know mi
and my profession, for the scared look deep
ened and bis brow became more clouded. Il,
gave the address, however, and merely
added:
Nothing wrong, l hopeF' to which mad
no audible reply, Nelly had no parents, h
sad, and depended entirely upon her owl
hands for support.
But s'poSe She expects to be a grand lad
some day and get rid OF all that he bitterly
ADDED, to which also made no answer.
The house in which the Girl lodged was GU
at Simon square. found her seated in tn
kitchen, beside her laudladv, with basin O
bread and milk, to which little warm waite,
and sugar had been added, on her knee. Sh,
was pretty girl, and looked more beautiful
as she biushed and pat aside her, dinner anC
!ed me TO an empty room next to the kitchen
A hne gold ring, set with Gerns. sparkled OF
the fourth finger of her left hand As sool
as we were in the parlor ard the door closed
said:
want to SEQ that ring on your finger
She started back and covered the ring O,
ner finger with her right hand, as if to guarc
it from every attack.
gu are not-not one of the policeY' sh
slowly faltereG at last.
u am, and you are charged with stealth,
gem ring from IA gentleman and
coughed, as the word nearly choked me. q,
gentleman named Horace Ravensberg.n