The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-04-27


Il took it home. straight home. lait
it on the table while | filed and lightc,
my pipe. had it i'll my hand for almos
an hour while | was smoking and think
ing" lie was impressively laying off t.
her with his finger each link of his chair
Of retrospcction. II then locked it in
small safe have in my bedroom. Wher
l started here this evening"-his fac,
broke into a triumphant smiIe-'I put il
in my left hand lower ve.t pocket, ant
here it isp' And, sure enough, he pulled
| out ring.
He picked up the other and, holding
them together, carefully compared them
They were exactly alike in every particu
lar, size, shape, setting, brilliancy, and il
both were engraved letters, "a. H.
NJ. H"
He passed them across to Miss Har
rington, whose turn it now was to show
| establishment.
| Il don't understand it." she faltered
| 'Nor l." said DR.. Henderson sternly
"You seem to have plurality of engage
mrnt rings to keep stock OIL hand, as il
| were"
The girl flushed.
'Of course you know that never haG
|
| She was stopping to defend herself, sc
| the doctor went on the more severely.
Indeed. Yet here are two. | cannot
| undertake to say how many more yor
may have with your initials II. NJ il
them. l suppose that even your-shal
| we say assurancc-will hardly permit
you to say that was the givcr of both
| The rather unusual circumstance of tive
| Of 6anno. 1,o1 ~, -,
| has probably been the cause of your mis-
| take-a very natural one under the cir
| cumstances. l do not know who the 9th
er-shall | say lucky-fell0w- Oh, "A
Ii. might be Ab Higginson"
"Mr. Higginson's name is Talbot, a.
you very we'll know" the girl put in.
"Hum-well-maybe it is. don't care
1t doesn't make any difference who the
other fellow is-or are. The fact remains
that you had other engagement rings al
the same time you had mine. Why you
chose to add insult to injury by trying to
make out that was the faithless. one
cannot imagine. Such brazen"-
"Dr. Henderson, your conduct is insult
ferable. l will hear your insults no Ion,
ger"
Can you deny what have said?"
"Of course can and do. know moth.
ing of this other ring you have brought
1t has your initials, "A. H. In it, too, re-
member. How am l to know that 1t is
not one you intended for some other girl
who happens to have my initials? Prob
ably you were on your way to see hei
when you got my note"
Just here the library door opened, and
Miss Harrington's younger brother Gus
appeared. Gus was college senior, /;
class of young men not often thrown of
their dignity, but the belligcrent attitude,
of the two occupants of the room visibl!
startled him.
Il beg your pardon" he faltered. 81
er-did not know any one was in here.
was lOokin,, fOr-er-something though
1 had left in here
He drew back as though to leave IT,
room, and then, his gaze falling on T.
plush case in his sisters hand. he =
ped.
"Why, that's the very thing was look
ing for" he said, coming forward. {:
slight flush on his face, and taking il
from her unresisting hand.
"S;y, young man," asked the doctor
suddenly seeing light, sis that ring
yours"
Mr.. Harrington drew himself up to hi.
full height and answered with dignity:
at isl
"Well, that's all right" began the dos
tor, when
"Why, what are you going to do with d
ring like that, Gus?' eagerly asked his
sister.
"What does a man usually do with a
ring like this?" asked Mr.. Harrington il
reply, stretching himself another inch
81 am going to give it to the young lady
| intend TO marry"
"Oh. Gus, is it Mary Harbison?"
Yes" he admitted, the dignified senior
disappearing in the happy. proud boy
GLOW did you know"
"Thcn. my dear sir" said the doctor
with relieved laugh, 81 suppose the a
u.-M A. in that ring stands for 'Au
gustus Ilarrington-Alary HarbisOn?'"
And | supposed. of course, that it wa:
for Mary Harrington" laughed the youns
lady of that name.
"IIumph"' shifted her brother con
temptuuu$ly. Think you are the onl,
girl III the United States named Mary:
And then, feeling that he was hot bri!!.
treated with proper dignity, lie stalke'
from the room.
When Gus shut the door, SoMe~na
loudly. DIR. Henderson and Miss Han
rington were standing 1t opposite sides o
the table, but before he coull have takci
two steps this was altered. The docto
marched boldly round to her side.
"Nonr but the brave deserve the fair.
he muttercd. And this looks to me IL
an opportunity To undo my fool work o
this morning. Ill make Il try for it. any
how. Mary" he said aloud, taking her
hand in his, 81 have acted very foolishly
today; you have been foolish: we have
been very foolish. Hasn't it lasted long
enough? love you-ah. until this day !
did not realize how much | loved you! J
don't believe l could bear many such
days rs this has been, dear. And you
love mel know you do. Come"-and he
lifted her hands and clasped them around
his neck-''let me put this ring back on
your finger where it belongs before il
causes more trouble"
"But-how can you, with my hands up
there ut the back Of your neck? she
asked.
"Welr"-and he paused a moment to
look down into Il pair of beautiful eyes.
to consider-"well, that is a problem.
Just let your hands stay where they are
for the present. and we will attend to the
ring later on
"All right" she said.
And so it W SHORTHAND Transcript