Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-08-10

ring, although every one in the horso
!o'ileu ~ looking III every possible and
impossible plac" for it, '
| several days later as | was in tho
lose garden cutting flowers for th,.
vases l saw Miss TAYLOR come down
end '''e "iooi ~ l's
,, was about to step out and Join her
W., Mnei1 l herd other steps, and saw
MI i'aul coming. and l drew back out
him. WAN ""'oA
-, nc gave a quick look around and
, uieli went into the arbor where Miss
Taylor was sitting.
nile started to her feet with low cry.
ana then at once sat down again-and
'hen l saw him pass his hands back
| ward and forward in front of her face
several times.
lhen he took something from his
pocket ana laid it on the table, and I
nelrd him say in stern, commanding
tone:
rake that up and put it on"
Al this curiosity got the better Of
every precautiOn, and leaned forward,
to see Miss Taylor take up from the
table and place on her finger the miss
ing ring-NIiss Eva's beautiful solitaire.
she held her hand up and waved it to
and fro, rs if admiring it, and then
her head dropped forward on her arm,
her hand hanging down with the ring
in plain sight
At the dreadful look on her face, the
dreadful expression in his eyes. my
self-control forSook me and I shrieked
aloud. He turned with a start, saw
me, smiled and held up warning fin
ger.
"sh-h-h!' he said in a soft, purring
tone. Come with meat once!"
There was no resisting him. came
out from the bushes and drew myself
after rather than followed him, for he
kept his eyes on my face and his fin
ger upraised-down to an old barn
quite the other side of the garden. He
opened the door and motiOned me- to
20 in; then l heard the grating of the
paddock outside, and knew no more
for awhile.
When l struggled back to life again,
thought first l had died and been
buried: then gradually consciousness
returned, and / realized the deSpicable
plot that l could Illustrate If l could
only get out in time. could not force
the door, but up in one corner OF the
hay NOW there was a small window,
and if I could find a rope long enough
I could lower myself down. l CROPPED
about in the dark for what seemed an
intcrminable while, but at last found
what I sought; and, guided by mem
DRY, climbed along the NOW, found the
- fpnl1hIn
and fastening the rope securely, said
one little prayer and swung mysell
out. With all my care I fell on the
ground so heavily that sprained my
wrist; but I did not think Of the pain
then. but ran to the house. 1t was al
most dark, but as I ncared the house
l saw Il light in one room and heard
excited voices. Pushing my way in, l
entered the room where the whole
family were gathered, and standing
among them like a criminal, poor Miss
Taylor, with the fatal solitaire still on
her hand. Just as l entered, Miss Eva
was saying:
$50 on your own confession you are
the thief-the despicable thief
Mop I cried, springing into the
room. "No, Miss Eva, she don't know
what she is saying; he makes her say
1.-THE with his eyes fixed upon he1
like a snake-that wicked man, Mr.
PAUL."
The words fairly streamed from my
tongue Mr.. Paul gave a muttered
curse, and tried to spring past me, but
Thomas the butler caught him and held
him fast, and then without waiting fol
orders told my story, and at its enc
Miss Taylor fell back in faint.
II can see it now!' said Miss Eva as
white to the lips, she drew off the
ring and replaced it on her own hand
Il told you, mother, that l had given
my ring away. He got it from me
by mesmerizing me while I was only
half awake, and sought to fix the guilt
on this poor girl by the same despica'
bic means. But thanks to Betty's cour
age and bravery his plot is exposed
And that was the last l heard fol
awhile, for the pain in my wrist be
came so unbearable that l tainted too
No two invalids were ever waited
on more dcvotedly than Miss Taylor
and I, until we were entirely recoV'
cred.
AS for Mr.. Paul. he dropped from
the family as completely as if he had
never bcen-his name was never men
toned again. Just what was done
with him no one seemed to know OF
care; but when Mr.. Jack came home
I was praised to the skies; and at the
wedding that followed soon after, we
received beautiful presents from Mr.
Jack. But a prettier sight than the
lovely solitaire that sparkled on Miss
Eva's hand. was the look OF perfec,
happiness that shone in her eyes, and
lit up her lovely face when Mr.. Jack
gave her his bridal kiss.
A Warning to Inventors.