The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-05-06
gossip that are repeated every season
II. l.

to draw figures in the sand with his cane
and she beat a tattoo with her dainty
slipper while gazing out upon the sea
and the outgoing fishing boats in an alb
stracted manner.
The captain spoke first. "About a
year ago." he said, "I picked up a ring
in Simla, India, which bears on its inner
surface the initials W. NJ which are
your initials" Miss Merrick listened in
mute surprise, which changed to aston
fshment when the captain took a ring with
two dinmonds from his pocket. He
next took her right hand, which hung
by her side, with his other hand. Hers
was very pretty hand, and the most
pleasant thing about it, to the captain,
was the tinniest suspicion of a responsive
touch.
What he had to say as he placed the
ring upon her finger was so interesting
that she did not interrupt him.
They returned to the hotel long after
breakfast time.
Before entering, the captain said: "By
the way, darling, why did you look so
surprised when placed the ring upon
your fingerl l should think that you
must have expected something of the
kind all along"
Miss Merrick had forgotten all about
the incident in the pleasurable excite
ment of the captains proposal But
now she took the ring off her finger,
examined it carefully, and spoke; "Per-
cy, dear, don't be offended, but this has
always been my ring. l lost it five years
ago in Newport, r. l., and can tell it
to be the same ring by tiny flaw in one
of the stones, aside from the initials"
And now comes the strangest part of
this narrative, to wit: The story of the
wanderings of Miss Merrick's ring. 1t
took two years to ascertain all the facts
about it, but the captain insisted upon
establishing a clear chain of evidence,
which would begin with Miss Merrick
and end with himself, or rather with
both.
The loss of the ring had first been no.
ticed by the young lady on her return
from shopping tour in Newport, where
she was spending the summer. She
would hardly have suspected that the
elegantly dressed man who had assisted
her into her carriage had deftly slipped
the ring off her finger while doing so. 1t
was Handy Bill, probably the most ex-
pert pickpocket and sneak thief in Amer
lea. Mr.. Twygg, the celebrated detec-
tive, happened to see the theft because
he had been watching the man. Unfor-
tunately, Mr.. Twygg's business in New
port was of so delicate a character that
he could not allow his presence to be-
come generally known by arresting
Handy Bill, and therefore did not molest
him for the present. Some two weeks
latter an opportunity offered for con-
fldential chat with the thief, the outcome
whereof was that he delivered the stolen
ring to the detective and left town the
morning following.
Mr.. Twygg carelessly put the jtrinket
into his pocket and-returued to New
York.
One day not long after a Russian de-
tective called at the office of his Ameri-
can conierree. Paul Sergiloff's mission
to the United States was to deliver GER
| tain documents to the Russian Minister
and to gather information concerning a
Nihilist agitator sojourning in Canada.
1t so happened that his first point in
prospect was Newport, where the Rus
sian envoy was spending part of the sum
mer.
AS Mr.. Twygg searched for a match in
his pocket with which to help the Rus
sian to fire for his cigarette, he telt Miss
Merrick's ring. What could be more
natural than that he should ask his visitor
to deliver it up to its fair owner, or that
Sergiloff should courteously assent2
But Miss Merriek had left Newport,
and in the excitement incident upon the
receipt of a ciper telegram recalling him
to Russia at once, the Russian forgot to
eturn the ring to Twygg, and carried it
with him to st. Petersburg.
One morning they found him there,
dead, in a narrow alley.
A bullet wound in his temple showed
the manner of his death, and the cause
for it was evidenced by the circumstance
that the entire front of his vest had been
partly cut and partly torn away.
The deed was done by Nihilistsianx-
ious to secure certain papers that Sergil-
off was supposed to carry in his inner
vest pocket.
A few months later the murderer and
some brother Nihihsts were arrested and
underwent the farce of a Russian trial
for political offences. The murderer was
hanged and his comrades went to ST.
IBERIA. To one of them he had given
the ring before being executed.
What fearful days and weeks and
months of weary travel those were for
the unfortunates destined for the lead
minesl
The exile who had the ring concealed
in his boat managed to escape between
two stations.
No peu can describe the adventures
and hardships of the fugitive journey
through a country in which the natives
hunt escaped exiles as they would wolves
no words can do justice to his,sufferings
as he travelled alone through the vast
solitudes.
On the edge of the Khirgiz- Steppe he
Joined one of the large caravans of es-
capped couviets that contieually travel
eastward.
1t is easy for an exile to obtain assist
ance in Samarkand, or, for that matter,
most anywhere in Central Asia, although
/ it is, or rather was extremely difficult for
traders to enter the territory.
In Samarkand the ring left the hands
or rather the boot, of the owner, and
was traded for an outfit that would dis
| guise its wearer into a dervis.