The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-14
The Shield Pin.


personal mystery 1 responded with a
poor grace.
Scarcely had she begun to tell her sto-
~. however, when I became 50 interested
| that 1 begged 1er 10 continue and tell me
the details as far as possible.
Miss Angel vas engaged TO Mr.. Cloud
"a peculiar combination of names to be-
gin witfl-and was devotedly attached 10
him. In fact. she confessed with tears
in her eyes that his love was more, or
had been more, than life to her.
The rest of the story l viii let her tell
in her own words
Mr. Cloud she said sis in the habit
| Of calling on me almost every evening
About week ago he came to dinner, in
yited by mamma. He was to attend a
supper Of the Phoenix Club at 10 o'clock,
and wore evening dress.
AT the table we noticed an exquisite
shield pin he wore. Il shOne so brilliant
ly that it caught my eye at once. Mr.
Cloud took the pin eff and it was passed
around the table for US all to examine.
1T was a shield as large as a quarter
with the outside edge bordered with pure
rubies, blood red, all of a size and with
out flaw. The center of the shield con-
sisted Of a large diamond cut not very
deep, yet too deep to be suuken, so il was
elevated in wire setting. Around the
diamonds were perfectly matched black
pearls. The combination was so unusual
that we exclaimed as We handled the
jewel and remarked that had never seen
it before.
when we had finished examining it
Mr.. Cloud said: That is my Phoenix
Club badge. 1t belongs to the president
When I was elected the badge was pre-
scented to me by the mem oers, and when
L resign and q new president comes in
I must give up the badge to him. II is
the presidents badge, to be owned by
him during his term Of office OF course,
it is only to be worn at the meetings"
Mamma spoke of its great value
Yes said Mr. Cloud, sit is indeed very
valuable. 1t is worth thousands. If I
were to lose it I should feel ruined, as
l could never hope to replace it
LAS he spoke Mr.. Clouds face became
very serious. We once had case of that
kind said he, "a most curious case. The
president lost his badge and committed
suicide next day. You see, ne was sus-
pected of having sold it.
After we had looked at the badge and
talked about it. 1 very foolishly asked to
wear it, and in a fit of waywardness I
reached across the table, took it up, and
put it in the bow of ribbon at my throat.
II went back up to my room and came
downstairs again. 1 found mamma and
my sister seated alone in the parlor.
Mr.. Gould had gone out to send tele-
gram. He would be back in a minute.
when he returned, which was after
half an hour, he came in for a minute to
say good-by, he said, and to ask for his
pin. Come, Maize, he said, you have
leased me long enough. Let me have the
pin now, l must 60
Z gave it back to YOU I said, and
you have it now
''Then 1 stood up, and running my fin
gers along the lapel of his coat felt for
the pin. 1t was gone!
1 turned as white as. snow, and as I
felt the color leaving my face, I said:
I gave it back
My mother looked up surprised, and
Mr.. Cloud stared at me. Yes, 1 gave 1t
back. l put it on your coat. You must
have it
Why, Maize said Mr.. Cloud, how
can you say So?
4 pass over the disagreeable scene
which followed. 1 will not mention Mr..
Clouds chagrin or my mothers amaze
ment, even as l explained how l had
stolen down the stairs and had fastened
the precious pin in the lapel of the coat,
just for fun, and how 1 intended after
teasing him to tell him that it was there.
As I talked I could see my mothers in
credulous looks and Mr.. Clouds absolute
dismay. They did not believe me,
after the most painful quarter of an
hour which L ever expect to spend, Mr.
Cloud left. shaking hands cordially with
my mother and saying a cold goodnight
to me.
After he had gone my mother said:
Maize, my darling girl, tell the truth 1t
is not too late
s. There is nothing more to tell, moth
err l said. I have told you the whole
truth
After awhile my mother saw that I
was in earnest, and she believed me. But
as next day came and passed and no
word came from Mr.. Cloud. I saw that
he doubted me- The third day there came
a formal note saying that if I would re-
turn the pin he would give me its value
in money, paying me as rapidly as his
circumstances would permit. AS it was
valued at many thousands, it was then
beyond his means.
Il tore the note into bits and did not
reply.
That was week ago. For the first
three days l was too much overcome by
modification TO take any steps toward
establishing my innocence. But now that
/ am in a sober mind, / wish to learn,
if possible, what became of the pin after
I placed it in the lining Of the lapel of
Mr.. Clouds voat and where It now IS"
The recital took some time, for the
young lady's emotion overcame her more
than once And 1 must confess that /.
too. felt indignant for her First that
fate should have played 50 uukind a trick
upon so beautiful a young lady; and sec
ondly, that her lover, Mr.. CLOUD, should
have doubted her 50 easily.
Il am willing she said. to spend any
amount to clear myself of this disgrace
full suspicion, and hope, with your assist
ance. to solve the mystery
1T is so long a time I began, "if
you
Yes. I know" said she impatiently.
'StH" I said II will do ny best But
you must allow ME 70 talk with Mr
Cloud That viii be absolutely neces-
sary.'
Going first, to the telegraph Office. I
walked from there to the cafe. At that
moment a wagon stood IN front OF the
door and they were bringing out the soil
ed table linen.
An inspiration came 10 me. and I said
10 the driver: How often do you take
away the unen%
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