Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-02-14

nook. The soft lights--the perfume of
| flowers-soothed her spirits. and she
laughed little as she noted the work
thrown down carelessly on the table.
'How many things have tried to do
| to-day and what a farce it has all
been?"
She moved about the room-a grace
full figure in her dull green gown, with
its touches of silver. On her left hand
was a curious ring, which she paused
often to study-then with a sigh. sunk
into n great chair before the fire and
steadily contemplated both hands with
the deepest attention. The fire-light
showed an anxious and troubled face.
"How could l do it? If he comes,
what false position L shall be in.
What untruths | shall have to imply.
If he We're TO lind me out, should be
overwhelmed with shame. How could
he suspect? Did not take every pre-
caution? But, then-he won't come.
feel sure of that" "a ring at the belD.
''Yes, Katy'-talling the offered card
you may bring him in here. What
shall say? l must go through with it
now!
'Good evening, Mr.. Parshall. How
good of you to come out a night like
this. l asked you to come in here, the
drawing room seems 80 big and cheer
less. Do take this chair near the fire
/ have been fairly scorching my face
all the evening, and will gladly resign
my place to you."
She turned. picked up a fan. and care
fully seated herself with her back to
the light. Her guest had been. appar-
emily. struck dumb; for row that there
was an opportunity. he had no word to
say. He had sunk down obediently in
to the very warm corner pointed ont to
him, and was gazing fxedly at the hand
which held the fan. Could he believe
his eyes? 1t was Ealf in shadow, yet
when she had held out her hand in
greeting just now, the ring looked so
familiar it had taken his breath away.
Seeing her eyes follow the direction
which his had taken, he said, boldly:
what curious ring!"
Eyes: is it not? And the way it came
to me was SO odd, must tell you about
it. You know to-day is-oh-This morn
ing found, with the mail at my plate,
little box with this ring in it. There
was no card with it-nothing to tell
from whom it came. 1t is such queer
shape. There must be some story con-
nected with it. Was it not AIrange?"
Very strange. A good luck offer
ing, | suppose. That is a four-leaved
clover, is it not?"
"Yes; but am not superstitious."
did the superscription give you no
clueo You have kept it, of course?"
"Yes; it is about here somewhere.
oh. you lawyers she laughed, as she
rose. now quite self-possessed. "You
would take the romance out of every
thing / don't care to find out who
sent it, and have the whole thing be-
come commonplace Immediately. But
here is the paper, if you care to see il"
The young man took the paper and
studied it with such deliberation that
she grew uneasy, and said at last:
"Well, what do you discover"
She would not have been nervous
could she have only known that the
letters were dancing such a jig before
his eyes he could not tell one from an
other. What should he say? What
| should he do? Dared he produce his
part of the ring and tell her the truth?
Or should he get himself away as
quickly as possible and try TO think
this thing out? But her question
reused him.
Yes" he said slowly, not lifting his
eyes TO hers. II have discovered some
thing. Win you let me take this paper
away with me?'
mo, mol" she said, and she i'm
pulsively seized the paper and threw it
into the fire. He looked ut her with
such pure astonishment that she began
TO breathe more freely again. II don't
want this spoiled by being turned into
a case. | shall not wear the ring after
tonight / will merely keep it as a
souvenir of ST. Valentine"
"She suspects who it is FROM" he
thought To himself. ~ must find out. +"
"No, but Il would 5e satisfaction to