The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-02-10
THE RUBY HEART.

A UNIT JESSICA had beeen round the
| ~ world more than once. She had
been what is vulgarly called globe
! trotter." In her day she had collected
many rare and curious and beautiful
things; but now she was an old woman,
| and her time was come to die in the
great silent house, filled with the furni-
ture that had belonged to Aunt Jessica's
forbears many score years ago, and en-
! riched by the spoils Of many lands,
brought home by the energetic hands OF
Aunt Jessica herself.
There was one treasure above all that
I coveted, and that would have sold
my soul 10 have had for my own-'my
! cousin Edith.
! AS for the money, well, l am OF more
| disinterested than most people; but l
would rather have had Edith without
a penny than all Aunt Jessica's money
without Edith.
| William and Bertram and were sit
ting in the dining-room. Edith was
above, helping poor aunt in the hard
work of dying. Three raps came on the
floor. We knew they were a signal that
we were to go up, and that aunt had
asked for us, and up we went.
! 81 have left everything divided among
you four" she said; "and the ruby heart
is to go to whichever of you three boys
i can find it," She spoke slowly and
with difficulty.
remembered the jolly old days when
she used to come and see us at school
and tip US, and wished that death and
time could have been more merciful.
She went on:
"You know 1t has a charm to make
you happy in your love. 1t would have
made me happy, but he died, and It
hadn't chance to do its work; and now
my times comet has been weary
waiting.
And with that-the first and last hint
life-she turned her wrinllled old face
to the pillow with a sigh like tired
child's and there were only four of us
left in the room.
After the funeral and the reading of
the will we three men set to work to
find the charm.
81 shall take the library and aunt's
bedroom first" said Bertram. AS these
were the rooms she had most used, I
imagined he thought he had made the
best choice. "You other fellows can
arrange as you like!"
William chose the drawing-room and
the guest chamber, and they took the
whole day searching systema tically
inch by inch for the ruby heart. be-
gan to look in the dining room, but
Edith came in.
''Do you care so very much for the
ruby hearth" she said
81 confess l should like to find it," I
answered.
''Shall help you to look?"
She pulled out a book or two from the
shelves in an aimless. desultory way,
and then said:
'It's very sunshiny out of doors, don't
you think?"
So we went on the river.
The next day began to look for the
heart again. Edith sent her duenna
companion (who had once been her gov
erness) to ask me if did not think it
"Oulu De Ilct W uIlNt. vi tpuTsc Sdlu
thought it would. and off we went.
That evening she asked Bertram and
William if they would like to come out
next day to see some ruins.
"ThanLs," said Bertram, "but think
my first duty to my poor aunt's memory
is to find that heart"
Besides" said William. who never
had much sentiment, like Bertram, "it's
worth thousands of pounds, l believe"
"To say nothing of the CHARM" I
added.
"But you'll come, Wifrid?" she said.
looking at me with her soft gray eyes.
"Of course" answered.
Bertram and William scowled at me.
They would have given their ears. their
lives, anything, in short. but their
chances of a ruby heart worth thou
sands of pounds for the privilege that
was to be mine tomorrow.
To be IN love with Cousin Edith was
mode, a fashion among us. Besides,
Edith was now an heiress.
"As soon as have fulfilled dear aunt's
last Wishes" said Bertram-he talked.
the silly fool. as If aunt had wished him
to find the heart-"I shall be only too
glad to accompany my Cousin Edith on
any excursion she may propose"
$50 shall l." said William.
So Edith and I went to the ruins
alone together.
II hope it does not seem like disre-
spect to poor aunt's memory" she said.
as we drove snugly back in the dog
cart that evening, "our going out like
this. But couldn't bear to stay In the
old house alone where she was so kind