Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-03-24
CHAPTER yIII

lily, L uttered a slight exclamation.
why do you look so astonished," she
cried, certain bitterness in her voice,
lat seeing me wear the sign of my
bondageY'
1T was not wholly that, Miss Cum
ningham," 1 returned. Say, rather, L
was surprised at seeing you wear this
particular ring"
ut is remarkable one, isn't Il? Far
too gorgeous and CONSPICUOUS to please
me, for myself; but Mr.. Wildred was
| anxious for me to have 1t. 1 believe it
has been in the family a long time,
and has been handed down from gen.
Grafton to generation of betrothed
brides-happier than myself"
did Mr.. Wildred tell you that the
| ring was a heirloom in his family %
Eyes. There is a romance attached
to it."
She sighed family, as though at the
death Of romance in her own young
life. Then, more quickly:
why, Mr.. Stanton? Why do you
| ask me thatT
Forgive my curiosity" 1 said. eva.
| siyely. 81 am interested in all that
concerns you.
| Would it be asking too much" l
said, ito have the wonderful heirloom
In my hand to examine for a momentY'
Without a word she slipped the ring
OF and gave 1t to me, almost as
though 1t was relief to feel it's alb
| sence.
In fash a certain recollection had
Ieaped into my mind. There was an
inscription inside, Harvey Farnham
had told me. IL the ring had been cut
| doubtless the words written within
would show some trace of the violent
| treatment to which the band of gold
had been subjected. and I wished. for
| q reason 1 hardly dared admit, to N.Y.
| self, to ascertain IL this were the case.
i moved toward the window and.
ostensibly catching the light upon the
facets OF the matchless stone. peeped
| into the circlet. To my surprise, the
words inscribed on the gold were
"Kismet and Miss Cunningham" They
were absolutely unbroken, not a letter
blurred, and the surface OF the ring
gave the appearance OF having been I'M
touched since first 1t was fashioned.
was certain that II had not been cut
1 could have explained the mystery"
] had been told by Farnham that the
stone had come from the FIRST diamond
mine in which he had been interested
1T had been fancifully dubbed "Kfs-
met" and the gold mine, which he had
lately sold to Carson Wildred had las
he had informed me that night of our
meeting at the theatre) rejoiced in the
name OF the "Miss Cunningham
Doubtless the Inscription was to com
memorate the fact that the gold form.
ing the ring had been taken from the
one mine the diamond from the other.
But, Knowing all this, l was none the
less anxious to hear what Karine
might have to say.
"What an odd coincidencelr" I re-
marked. "Will you tell me the story ?''
you may hear the little romance II
you like" the girl said, faint wistful-
ness in her sweet voice. Sixty O,
seventy years ago, Mr.. Wildred tells
me, a very dashing ancestor of his fell
in love with Miss Cunningham. That
is not very uncommon name, Won
know. He was penniless, and she an
heiress. Her father would have moth
ing to do with him, and told him no
need not hope TO win his daughter nm
less within year he could afford IN
buy her the finest diamond betrothal
ring ever seen in the country.
1.-The lover vowed ii was 'Kismet'
that he should marry Miss Cunning
ham, and swore to return and claim
her, by slipping such a ring on her
finger, exactly twelve months from
the day he was sent away.
'-He had the most extraordinary adj
ventures In search of n fortune, al
ways ending In failure until the last
month of the appointed time. He was
in India. working in the diamond
mines when one day he found this very
stone.
HE sailed at once for England. had
the ring made, and the words you see
engraved inside. AS he had said, he ar
rived on the day appointed, but only
to find the girl coming out from church
after her marriage with another man
He threw the ring at her feet. and
flung away; but at her death it was
sent back to him again. and though he
never married he gave it to his
brothers bride on her wedding day
Since then it has remained in theWil-
dred family"
Something of what was in nv mind
must have been visible on my face. for
Karine, as she finished her story
looked at me searchingly. What are
you hiding from me, Mr.. Stantonp 30 she
anxiously questioned. Its about the
ring-and If you are my friend, as YOU
| say, you will not keep it a secret from
me"
at is about the ring Miss Cunning
ham," 1 replied impulsively. II can't
tell you all, for the facts have hardly
grouped themselves in my own brain
But If they have such bearing upon
| your happiness as have some reasons
/ to think you shall know rhem soon
as i can make them clear to you. WIN
| you trust me meanwhile-will you try
to remember that l am striving to col
| lect facts which may help to release
| you from the necessity OF a marriage
unworthy of you? Never for one mo-
ment since l saw you last have l let
slip the hope of saving you from what
you confessed must oe a blighted fu-
ture. Now, / may be mistaken, but
believe that / begin to see my way"
There are only six weeks-less than
six weeks to do it inp' she murmured.
but faint color had sprung to her
cheeks, a light OF hope to her eyes.
| us 1t not possible" l begged, IF
| find myself near success, yet stopped
temporarily midway by some unfore-
seen obstacle, that you can delay yonr