The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1895-05-11
"yery-what we know of it,"

from a pixie or 4 tivc-pounder. Which
is it,"
Let us say from infatuation. That
is certain. Good-by."
A boggie in my cast claimed my at.
tention, and when l looked up he had
disappeared behind the rocky prolnon-
tory between the two arms of the loch.
AS I turned to go my eye caught a
glitter in the shingle at my feet. 1t
was a gold signet ring which l re-
membered on the strangers hand as
he laid it on my shoulder. l ran after
him, shouting as l ran, finally making
my way to a bit of rising ground,
whence l could command the declivity
leading to the Corriebuie inn. He was
not to be seen. AS l came back to my
rod a faint circle of light showed on
the darkening water. The big fish
was still rising, and l hurried away,
half afraid of being beguiled into try
ing conclusions with 1t. Next day be-
ing Sunday, 1 walked over to Corrie-
buie in order to return the ring to its
owner. My friend of Loeb Finaich
was not there, nor did the ring itself
give me any clue, for the design on it
had been much scratched and worn
as if by water. The world, however,
as we agreed, is small, and partly on
the chance that in the motley crowd of
London I might come across it's own
err and partly from a strange fascina-
ton for the memory of my five-minute
friend, I took to wearing the ring con-
stantly until a sense of possession and
an odd, unaccountable affection for it
grew up with me, and l felt l should
be sorry to have it taken from me.
In the November following l was on
my way to join a yacht, bound for the
Mediterranean at Plymouth. Immers-
ed in a book I scarcely noticed the adj
vent of another traveller into the smo-
king carriage in which I was seated
until l saw him searching vainly in
his pockets for a match. Naturally l
offered him my cigar. AS l held it out
he started so violently as almost to
knock it out Of my hand.
II beg your pardon" he said courte-
ously, "but the ring you year. aroused
a painful memory. A very dear friend
of mine had one somewhat similar"
"a friend? Was he by any chance in
Scotland this summer"
My companion shook his head and
looked out Of the window. "No. He
Joined the majority years ago. A ter
rible loss to the regiment. One of
those fellows good all round. Crack
shot, splendid rider, AL fisherman and
so KEEN" He paused.
"It cost him his life in the end" he
went on. ~ was in India at the time,
SO I don't know the ms and out of it.
But it was at some place in Western
Ross. He went out fishing n day
and never returned. A simple thing
to say. but only God knows what hap
pened."
So enthralled had l been by his un-
expected words that 1 had failed to no.
tice the train was stopping, and be-
fore l realized what he was about the
stranger was on the platform of a
roadside station. My gesture Of dis
may must have been construed by him
as a farewell. for he raised his hat.
The express was already in motion. !
craned from the window to catch the
name of the station, but before l re.
allied. I was on the wrong side all
hope of that clue was gone. Three
hours after l had left England.
Subsequently inquiries in Ross-shlre
ELECTED the fact that an Englishman
had been lost in the neighborhood
years before. but not even a legend
connected his disappearance with Loeb
Finaich.
The ring is still on my finger. I have
a great affection for it, and if it's own
er were to appear l should feel lost
without it, for it has taught me many
things, but not to settle the great ques.
ton:
"Was it a five-pounder, or was it a
pixie ?'-London Sketch.
Royal Baking Powder is the purest
and highest in strength of any of the
baking powders, and hence makes
more, finer and better food. These
are the official facts as set forth by
the u. s. Government and the various
State Chemists reports. Of course
great efforts will be made by those
interested in the sale of the cheaper
made, alum powders, to continue their
sale where consumers have made up
their minds to have the Royal and call
for it at their grocers. The Royal
Powder is so much superior to all the
other preparations for quick raising.
that it will amply repay housekeepers
to use the necessary persistency to
procure it in spite Of all objections.