The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-30
The Mystery of a Ring.

tractSd by these words, looked up.
The speaker was a tail, graceful wo-
man, elegantly but quietly dressed. Her
face alone would have attracted me had
she not just given utterance to the words
that aroused my curiosity. 1t was a face
of rare beauty and singulariy sweet Yet
there was something puzzling about it.
The exquisite delicacy of the sensitive
mouth, indeed Of the whole face. which
was high-bred and clar cut, like cameo,
struck one Immediately But it had a Ger
tain contradictory element in it that
fascinated and puzzled me. The tender
mouth was characterized by what seem
ed to me an habitual smile-a smile unlike
any other had ever seen-gentle, wistful,
and inexpressibly sweet, Will in dirct
contradiction to it were I'll eys, of that
clear deep-blue which one occasionally
meets in combination with dark hair and
lashes, which held q pathetic sadness, as
if smiles were strangers to them.
The face aroused. a strong interest in
me. The smiling mouth. the melancholy
/ eyes, the cultivated musical voice, whose
mingled sweetness and sadness were still
in my ears, had q singular fascination for
me-
Certainly, madam, replied the gentle
man she had addressed, evidently the
manager. everything possible Will be
DONE and, bowling with grave courtesy,
he passed on.
'At that moment the bell-boy returned
! with the information that my friend was
out, and was just rising to take my
departure when I noticed that the lady
who had just spoken was approaching
me and evidently wished to speak to
me.
Pardon me- she said, in a soft. hesi-
| tating voice, your face attracted me.
Il looked up In sincere surprise. View
! ed in the most charitable light, my face
is plain. nondescript one.
You look like one who would not
! hesitate if you found it in your power
| to do a kindness to any one in trouble
she continued, a perceptible tremor i'll
! her voice. My vanity went UP 10 the
( highest pitch, for at the best We are
| all human, but something better and
worthier stirred strongly within me.
Anything, madam, within my power
/ I said, enthusiastically, forgetting en-
/ tirely that she was a stranger.
"She sat down beside me and spoke in
an undertone
81 have had stolen from me at this
| hotel. in the most unaccountable manner,
a valuable ring, which, aside from its
money value. is almost priceless to me
as an heirloom. Something in your face
put the thought into my head to request
your assistance, and l am going 10 ask
YOU to go yourself TO the police station
and send an officer to me. Give him this
card, and tell him to ask for the lady
whose name ii bears. If you will do
this for one who is deeply perplexed, you
will win my lifelong gratitude
Z" Most willingly, madam. But, surely,
the hotel people will do all that can be
done 1 answered. in some astonish-
ment.
MY dear lady, she said, sorrowfully,
this occurred a week ago, and. so far,
they have done absolutely nothing but
make promises; my anxiety
Her voice broke off abruptly. fright
ened look entered her eyes, which deep
ened to one of positive terror. Involunta-
rily 1 followd their direction. a man had
Just entered the room and was approach
ing US; my companions eyes rested upon
him.
There was something in this mans
dark face, in its smoothness and its sua-
witty, and in his self-controi, slightly ST.
percilious air that displeased me even be-
fore he spoke.
81 have come to take you for a ride,
Agnes he said, simply. The words were
but few, and have a kindly sound when
written, so that despair of putting into
them when reproduced the cold note Of
command, the proprietary scound, the in
explicatble something that l felt and re-
scented in the suave voice.
without word she arose. That smile
was still upon her lips, the smile l cannot
forget. Through its pale sunshine her
anguished eyes met my own pleadingly.
You will not forget? she said gently.
Forget what?' asked her companion.
1 thought he looked at her suspiciously
That we are frineds.' she answered
softly as ne drew her away.
He half turned and gave me swift,
keen glance 1 thought had never seen
a face / so greatly disliked a first sight.
Secure in the consciousness that l had
transgressed no law of conventionality.
1 felt my chin taking a decidedly celestial
tendency, and gave him a naughty glance
that fell harmlessly upon his back as he
walked away.
But l kept my promise and sent an
officer to the hotel without delay.
"a week later L CHANGED to meet the
same officer on the street and recognized
him at one For an inscant 7 hesitated,
and then my interest and curiosity tri-
umphed. / put out a OBTAINING hand as
Pardon me, but did the lady recover
her ring% I asked.
For an instant he looked at me in evil
dent perplexity. and then a swift light
Of recognition flashed into his eyes.
%, you are the lady who sent me down
20 Hotel - last Wednesday. Did the lost
ring turn up? No. ma'am, you bet 1t
didn't. a ring that's been lost we'll on to
a thousand times. yet never found, can
not be produced
You need not tell NE l said with /
rising Indignation. that the lady who lost
the ring is a fraud. because l know bet /
ter; she's every inch a lady
"A sudden rumpus up the street caused /
him to depart abruptly, but as he left ne I
raised his cap respectfully
Z" The lady Is insane he said.
Il have puzzled over it often in The 4
weeks that have passed. Ny friend a I 4
the hotel told me the same story, for 1
my new acquaintance vas gone when I 4
next called; she wss travelling with an 4
attendant and her husband. whose tender /
care alone kept her from being placed IN +
a private asylum. This IS what I was toid, I
but in my heart 1 laughed IN derisi3D- /
Was the lady insane? I doubt (. but u j 4
were true. / would stake my life shat she /
ONYX ring was no myth. but that at some
H.