Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-12-20
CHAPTER v.

| " oASoNiS hASu lhC JcWel,
at last he touched 1t with his trembling
finger. The farm r, who had watched
him In some surprise. frowned and
drew back as the other advanced.
II beg your pardon" said Mason
quickly, "but-the ring on your finger
-I-1-have only seen one like it be-
fore" AS he spoke he came step
nearer still and seized the farmers
hand. His own agitation increased as
he examined the ring more closely and
assured himself beyond a doubt that 1,
was indeed his brothers. Ill VIII
you tell me how you got 1t? You must
forgiys the question. You will for
give 1t when tell you that when 1
last saw the ring 1t was upon the hand
Of my own brother"
His feelings had by this time pos
sessed him SO strongly that he dropped
the hand of the farmer, which had
remained passive and cold in his, and
supported himself for few moments
against the wall by the fireplace. The
awful fears as to his brothers fate
which had filed his heart for so long
had, upon this strange discovery,
reached the point of acute agony. Al
though he felt, he knew, that he had
need of all his GOODNESS, of all his self
possession. to get ut the heart of the
mystery upon the borders of which he
found himself, neither feeling nor
knowledge helped him In that first aw-
| full moment.
"My brother! My poor brother!"
His lips formed the words, but did
| not utter them. He was unable to see
or to think. The pitiful consciousness
that the ring was now nothing but n
relic of the dead unnerved, overwhelm-
| ed him.
The farmers husky voice reused
him after the lapse of few seconds.
cts very strange, sir; very strange,
II what you say should turn out to be
true" said he, less brusquely than be-
fore. But, for sure. It's most un-
common ring. and It's true haven't
had it long, nor can't tell who had it
before me-"
Mason had reused himself already
from the dependency and despair into
/ "hASh thC MOI oiSht vi tiS tthS istu
| thrown him. AS he turned toward the
! farmer the latter took the ring from
his finger and put it into the trembling
hand of his guest.
"Maybe." went on the farmer, youth
see some marks, II you look at it close,
by which you may tell for certain one
| way or the other"
Reginald nodded.
81 can identify 1t beyond all shadow
Of doubt" said he in broken voice.
"It was left to my brother by my
mothers father. How did it come
into your possession"
'I'll tell you all about 1t, sir, present
ly. when you have seen my daughter"
said he. But meantime you're well
come to keep 1t, sir. till you've heard
all there is to tell about it. When you
have heard that. you'll be able to say
for certain, l expect, whether the ring
was your brothers. This way, sir,
please"
The matter Of the ring, singular as It
was, seemed to have but little interest
for him, SO deeply absorbed was he in
anxiety for his daughter. But 1t was
not unnatural that he should appear
to look with something like suspicion
at n guest who had made so strange q
claim. AS Mason advanced, there
fore, toward the inner door, which was
r held open for him to pass through, the
farmer watched him narrowly with his
keen black eyes.
And Mason, returning his gaze, was
more impressed than before by coun.
tenance which changed SO rapidly In
Its expression from despair to curiosity
and back again to despair.
They passed into the back room,
formed by the remaining portion Of
the ref Glory. 1t was evidently used
as was.s.ouse, bakehouse and as a
place of :.,'iage. not as living room.
The W Is were characterized by the
same / % Use of whitewash as in the
big ki:c..en. n beautiful arcade with
clusscss ~ slender pillars on the left
hand s.ele. which time had defaced
but ~, ..ivlng been included in this
modern restoration"
| In one corner was II rough wooden
/ sta,i'cu /. with small landing at the
top, q, each side of this was door,
MI. LING assembled the stairs with
the !. !..er, Mason followed him into
Ia ieom ut the back, where there
{, wcie two small beds and u few pieces
Of substantial old fashioned furniture.
There We're some strips Of drugget on
the c'ean floor. There We're curtains
of br.a... turkey red over the win
| dows, of which there were two. look
ing west A fire was burning in a
small crate on the right. and the whole
loom showed the cleanliness and care
which had been noticeable in the kitch-
| en-. On the top of chest Of drawers
the farmer pointed out a little medl-
cine chest.
Only one Of the beds was occupied,
and as the farmer led the way toward
1t the girl lying in it turned her head
quickly and fixed upon the stranger a
pair Of large, glittering eyes.
Mason took the chair beside the
bed which the farmer placed for him
and looked at her by the light Of n
candle which her father brought across
the room from the mantelpiece.
| While he made his examination the
girl continued to stare at him flxedly,
and as she did so her brows gradual
ly contracted with II slight frown. Not
a word had been uttered by any one Of
the three.
AT last the farmer spoke.
well. STRIP said he In tremulous
voice.
Mason looked up quickly and was
touched to the heart. Down the farm
er's thin. swarthy face the tears were
streaming like rain.
shes very i'll. amt she, sir? My
poor Gwyn."
She's i'll certainly. but you mustn't
give way like that" said Mason.
He had taken the girls hand and
was feeling her pulse. The moment
he spoke he felt strong tremor run