San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-12-10

L
And that's your Venus, whence we turn
| To yonCer girl"
Another waltz had just begun as they
| re-entered the Baronial Hall, and Ada
glanced up at her companion from her
| daring brown eyes. what would you
say if | told you you might have this
| dance with me?" she inquired.
The hairdresser hesitated for just one
moment. He had meant to leave her
there and go back for his ring, but
the waltz they were playing was a
very enticing one. Ada looked uncom-
monty pretty just then; he could get
the ring equally well a few minutes
later. al should take it very kind of
you" he said, gratefully, at length.
ASK for it, then" said Ada; and he did
ask for it,
He forgot Matilda and his engage
ment for the moment; he sacrificed all
his scruples about dancing in public;
but he somehow failed to enjoy this
pleasure, illicit though it was.
For one thing, he could not long
keep Matilda out of his thoughts. He
was doing nothing positively wrong;
still, it was undeniable that she would
not approve of his being there at all,
still less if she knew that the gold ring
given to him by his aunt for the pur-
poses of his betrOthal had been left on
the finger of a foreign statue, and ex-
posed to the mercy of any passer-by,
while he waltzed with bonnet-maker's
assistant.
And his conscience was awakened
still further by the discovery that Ada
was a somewhat disappointing partner.
"She's not so light as she used to be"
he thought, land then she jumps I'd
forgotten she jumped.
Before the waltz was nearly over he
led her back to a chair, alleging as his
excuse that he was afraid to abandon
his ring any longer, and FASTENED away
to the spot where it was to be found.
He went'along the same path and
soon came 10 an inclosure; but no sooner
had he entered it than he saw that he
must have mistaken his way; this was
not the right place; there was no statue
in the middle.
He was about to turn away when he
saw something that made him start. 1t
was low pedestal in the centre with
the same characters upon it that he had
read with Ada. 1t was the place after
all; yes, he could not be mistaken; he
knew it now.
Where was the statue which had so
lately occupied that pedestal? Had it
fallen over among the bushes? He
felt about for it in vain. 1t must have
been removed for some purpose while
he had been dancing: but by whom, and
why?
The best way to find out would be to
ask some one in authority. The man.
ager was in the Baronial Hall officiat-
ing as NJ. c.: he would go and inquire
whether the removal had been by his
orders.
He was fortunate enough to catch
him as he was coming out of the Hall,
and he seized him by the arm with
nervous haste. Mister" he began, "if
you've found one of your plaster figures
with gold ring on, it's mine. I-Iput
it on in a joking kind of way and had
to leave it for while; and now, when
come back for it. it's gone"
I'm sorry to hear it, sir" returned
the manager; but really, if you will
leave gold rings on our statues, we can't
be responsible, you know"
But you'll excuse me-" pursued
Leader; II don't think you quite under
stand me. 1t isn't only the ring that's
gone-it's the statue; and if you've had
it put up anywhere elSe"--
Nonsense. e." said the manager; ave
don't move our statues about like chess
men: you've forgotten where you left
it, that's all. What was the statue
like?"
Leander described it as well as he
could. and the manager, with a some
what altered manner, made him point
out the spot where he believed it to
have stood. and they entered the grove
together.
The man gave one rapid glance at the
vacant pedestal, and then gripped
Leander by the shoulder, and looked at
him long and hard by the feeble light.
ANSWER me-" he said roughly; lis this
some lark of yOurs?"
al look larky, don't 70" said poor
Tweddle, dolefully. Il thought you'd
be sure to know where it was. "
al wish to Heaven | did," cried the
manager, passionately; tits those i'm
pudent blackguards. They've done it
under my very nose!"
aft it's any of your men," suggested
Lcander, cant you make them put it
back again."
Its not any of my men. l was
warned, and, like fool, l wouldn't be-
lieve it could be done at a time like
this: and now it's too late, and what am
to say to the inspector? | wouldn't
have had this happen for thousand
pounds!"
well, it's kind of you to feel so put
out about it, :" said Leander. you see,
what makes the ring so valuable to me"
The manager was pacing up and down
impatiently, entirely ignoring his pres
ence. II say" Twcddle repeated, the
reason why that rings of particular i'm
portance"-
"Oh. don't bother mel" said the
other. shaking him off. II don't want