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


stand me.
@Confound you and your ring!" said
the manager. whats the good d
coming bully-ragging me about youi
ring? / can't get your ring! You
shouldn't have been fool enough to put
it on one of our statues. You make me
talk to you like this, coming bothering
when I've enough on my mind as it is
Hang it! Can't you see I'm as anxious
to get that statue again as ever you can
be! If don't get it may be ruined
man, for all know. Amt that enough
for you? Look here; take my advice
and leave me alone before we. have
words over this. You give me your
name and address and you may rely on
hearing from me as soon as anything
turns up. You can do no good to your
self or any one else by making row,
so go away quiet like sensible chap"
Leander felt stunned by the blow;
evidently there was nothing to be done
but follow the managers advice. He
went to the Office with him and gave
his name and address in full and then
turned back alone to the dancing-hall.
He had lost his ring-no ordinary
trinket which he could purchase any
where, but one for which he would have
to account-and to whom? To his aunt
and Matilda. How could he tell when
-ner, was even chance of seeing 1t
bhSi0 - - ----- -----~-
again?
+ II on 7 he had not allowed himself
that waltz; if only he had insisted upon
remaining by the statue until his ring
was removed: if only he had not been
such an idiot as to put it on! None of
these acts were wrong exactly, but be-
tween them they had brought him to
this.
And the chief person responsible was
Miss Ada Parkinson, whom he dared
not reproach; for he was naturally I'M
willing that this last stage of the af-
fair should become known. He would
have to dissemble, and he rejoined his
party with what he intended for
jaunty air.
"We've been waiting for you to go
away" said Bella. where have you
been all this time?"
He saw with relief that Ada did not
appear to have mentioned the statue,
and so he said he had been "strolling
about" And Ada left to take care of
herself" said Bella, spitefully. "You
are polite, Mr.. Tweddle,' must say"
al haven't complained, Bella, that |
know of, said Ada. "And Mr.. lived
die and l quite understand each other,
don't we?"
"Oh." said Bella. with an altered
manner and side-glance at James, 81
didn't know. | very glad to hear it, I'm
sure"
And then they left the gardens, and
after substantial meal at a riverside
hotel, started on the homeward journey
with the sense that their expedition had
not been precisely a success.
AS before, they had railway COM
partment to themselves Bella de-
clined to talk, and lay back in her
corner with closed eyes and an express
sion of undeserved suffering, while the
unfortunate Jauncy sat silent and
miserable opposite.
Leander would have liked to be silent,
too, and think out his position; but Ada
would not hear of this. Her jealous re-
sentiment had apparently vanished, and
she was extremely lively ard playful in
her sallies.
This reached pitch when she bent
forward and in whisper. which she
did not perhaps intend to be quite con-
iden5ial, said, "Oh, Mr.. Tweddle, you
never told me what became of the ring!
1t is off at LAST"
"Off? yes!" he said, irritably, very
nearly adding, land the statue too.
weren't you very glade" she said
."Uncommonly," he replied, grimly
Let me see it again, now you've got
it back" she pleaded.
you'll excuse me-. ne said: "but
after whdt has taken place. can't show
that ring to anybody"
"Then you're a cross thing" said Ada,
pouting.
whats the matter with YOU two
over there?" asked Bella, sleepily.
Ada's eyes sparkled with mischief
"Let me tell them; it is too awfully fun
ny. ii must" she whispered to Lean
der. ""Its all about ring" she began
and enjoyed poor Tweddle's o.yident dis.
comfort.
"A ring?" cried Bella, waking up.
"Don't keep all the fun to yourselves;
we've not had so much of it this even
ing"
miss Ada, said Leander in great
agitation, Il ask you, as a lady,to treat
what has happened this evening in the
strictest confidence for the present"
SECRETS, Ada?" cried her sister; upon
uy world"
"Why. where's the harm, Mr.. lived
die, now it's all settled?" exclaimed
Ada. BELLA, it is only this: he went
and put a ring-now do wait till I've
done, Mr.. Tweddle-on a certain Pc
sons finger out in those Rosherwich
Gardens-you see I've not said whose
finger"
"Hello, Tweddle!" cried Jauncy in
some bewilderment
Leander could only cast a look OF
miserable appeal at him.
"Shall l tell them any more, Mr..
Tweddle?" said Ada, persistently.
al don't think there's any necessity,