Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-11-25

superstitious. The ring had disap-
peared in most mysterious way, for
her door was bolted, and her window
high from the ground. and she firmly
believed that the loss portended some
great evil.
Meanwhile at the bar of the inn a
little scene was going on. The
Frenchman had asked for a glass Of
ale, and John, who was always tapster
on Sunday mornings. had drawn 1t
for him, when, as their hands met In
the act, he saw upon the little finger
of his customer thick silver ring,
the very counterpart of that which ne
had given to his Betty.
You've a pretty ring, monsieur,
he said, with sort of catching OF the
breath. May ask where you got
it?"
"Ah, yes, certainly" said the
Frenchman. Zone does not boast, but
very pretty girl gave me that. Yes,
| and kiss Also"
John turned as pale as any ford
face could turn. He made no answer,
! but marched straigns out OF the room
and into Betty's kitchen.
She stood near the door In her holt
day dress, with her white cotton gloves
on. The magpies were chattering
overhead, and afar the church bells
were ringing.
"You are not going to church with
me, John?" she asked, softly, with
smile
THAT depends" said John Leaf.
Then he walked straight up to her,
and looked full into her honest eyes.
you don't look like cheat, he
said "but who knows woman? Take
off your gloves, Betty"
She obeyed.
where's your ring?" he asked.
Betty burst into tears.
'It's lost, john" she said. II can
find 1t nowhere"
"You haven't looked on monsieur's
finger, then" said John. you poor
fool. to give it to him, and think
shouldn't know It.
"Oh, I'll swear never did," sobbed
Betty. Il give your ring to anyone
else! Why, John"
But he pushed her from him with
his rough hand, and would hear no
words from her; and the next day ne
left the inn, and enlisted once more,
and was sent away again to India. And
Betty left the inn afro, and took SER
vice with a farmers wife close by; and
whatever the magpies chartered about,
It was no more of the love-making
that they heard when John and Betty
sat together beneath the old oak-tree.
Five years went by. At last John re-
ceived a letter from England. telling
him that his father was dead, and had
left all his little possessions to his only
son.
John Leafs fighting days were over,
in any case, and he was on the inva-
lid for life He fought as desperate
men do; had been commended and pro-
NOTED, and had some medals and rib
hons to show and boast of as compen-
sation for a wooden leg. So he went
home again, and settled down as pro-
prietor of the "Magpie's Nest" anu
was a sort of hero among the neigh
bors; but he was very lonely. Men do
not quite forget in five years. he
could still see Bety's buxom form
fitting about the kitchen in magma
ton; and when the magpies chartered
in their nests he could fancy that he
sat with her under the oak branches.
Then he grew wroth with the magpies,
who seemed to mock him, and ordered
1t 10 a down
In vain the boy pleaded for the
birds. In vain he declared that, even
il the new nests went, the old one in
the topmost branches should be left
"for luck"
"lf the old magpies that built that
find it gone, they'll peck some ones
eye out in the nighttime" said the
boy. It's been known to be done
often"
But John Leaf, the soldier, had cast
away all his superstition.
"Tll have those magpies chattering
about my ears no more" he said. up
and leave not nest of them all. Some
of the noisy rascals will take posses
sion of that old rag If it is left hang
ing"
So the boy obeyed. He planted a
ladder against the tree, and then
swung out upon the branches. There
was grievous noise; and doubtless to
this day old magpies tell their children
of that massacre of the innocents at
the great oak tree. But there were
no birds to chatter and scream in that
great rag of a nest which the boys
hands clutched at last. He came down
with the relic in his hand, and stood
before his master with a grin.
"Eh, master! may have all found
| in the old nest?" he asked.
IF II is not magpie's egg" said
John Leaf.
Its better than that" said the lad.
Its silver ring"
LET me see it," cried John Leaf, and
snatched 1t from his hand.
1t was the ring with which he had
plighted his .troth to Betty under the
oak: and he knew that the magpies
had stolen 1t, and that the Frenchman
wore one that resembled 1t.
The first thing that John did was to
call himself hard names: "A jealous
fool" "A suspicious brute!" Heaven
knows what else. Then he melted, and
all by himself in the wood beyond the
house, shed tears, and vowed to find
Betty IL she still lived on earth.
Where he went, of whom he inquired,