The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-02-12
THE JEWEL Thai WAS FALSE.

!
| been in town but year, Morley was
leading citizen. eminent in church work,
secretary Of the Newland Commercial
club, and rising man OF sedate ard
even grave department Yet here he was
knocking at the door Of Mile. F'ifine, the
premier lady Of the visiting company.
She let him in with pretty coquetry.
saving:
All. AR Harry. it is you. I was get
ting anxious. See, Our little dinner is
ready here in a corner of my room. Let 5
sit down"
She smiled caressingly over her shout
der at him as she locked the door.
II hope it is all right-that is I presume
the hotel people have no objection to
To what prey?" She arched her pref
y eyebrows, wondering.
"Oh, 1 was just thinking that perhaps
1t might look a little odd. you know. 10
have me to dinner in your room, alone"
You dear, innocent fellow" she laugh
ed, softly. laying her jeweled fingers tim
idly on his sleeve, why, IL doesn't look
odd at all. I've had many a-that is. its
quite customary thing with us ac-
tresses to have our best friends to d
little tete-a-tete luncheon. You know,
Harry, we meet so few really true friends.
+ Come. Give me your coat"
She helped him off with his ulster and
put it away with his hat, but when he
handed her his gloves their hands touch
ed, and with a little shrill laugh she took
his big right between her two soft hands
and, looking at him tenderiy, said:
Let me warm them. You are so cold"
And she rubbed his cold hands till his
heart was afiame and his lips were
parched with the burning words that rose
but would not utter.
No, she said, the company was not MAX
ing money. The manager was three
weeks behind with salaries. The west
ern trip had been failure. II was too
cold in Nebraska, and the best she could
hope for was to get back TO Broadway
without walking.
"Once back in New York" she was say
ing. I'm going to turn over new leaf.
Harry. No more one-night stands for
Fffine. I'll get little fiat near Broad
way somewhere and set up housekeep-
ing"
Housekeeping" he gasped.
'Oh, 1 mean with mother" she laugh
ed shaking her slender finger at him.
m not thinking of marrying-just yet.
Besides this with a mournful dropping
OF her fine eyes, besides, 1 have no
sweetheart-yet-"
Then for moment there was silence.
She was pouring his coffee-so daintily.
She did not look at him, but felt his big
eyes lingering on her.
Yes, you have, Fifne," he said at
last.
Have what?" surprised.
"A sweetheart"
She looked at him like a scared fswn,
blushed, leaned back in her chair, and
with sweet solemnity said:
Mister Morley
Then the flood gates of his eIoauence
were unloosed. She was too good, too
beautiful, too gently nurtured for this
reckless. hazardous life. She had seen
the world and knew it at its worth Why
not forsake the temptations. the hard
ships, the vulgarities of this mad rush
from town to town, this scarcely better
fever of living in New York. and come
into the tranquil. happy, inspiring atmos-
phere of the West. Doubtless her mother
would love to grow old in a new and
peaceful environment He, Harry Nor
ley, was doing well and would do bet
ter. Newland was a growing town, and
he meant 10 grow with it,
Il love YOU, Fifine," he said. 'and when
you 90 life will be but an exile for me
till YOU come again.
She let him kiss her yellow hair and
hold her yielding hand upon his breast.
There were tears in her eyes when she
looked at him, but she shook her shapely
head even as she tried to smile.
Not yet, Harry she was saying. 81
what 20 say except not yet l have my
engagement with the company, and Of
course must keep that. Then there is
poor mother. / don't know what she
would say. I don't know what to say
myself. I have known you but three
days, Harry
But she would write to him daily, she
explained. She liked" him: perhaps her
feelings were of a deeper. more final
INF
there anybody else? No.
There is no man so near to me as
you have come to be- she said.
Then, let Us make some token of it,"
he pleaded And from his finger he Slip
ped the plain gold ring his mother had
given him when he came West. II was
set with a solitary diamond of rare luster
and weight. From her pink fingers she
slipped jeweled circlet. lustrous with
three lesser gems encinctured with ru-
'bies.
Take it, Harry" she nurmured, kiss
ing the ring he had given her. Il will
not forget you Perhaps''-she leaned
her head upon his shoulder-"perhaps I
may come back to you sooner than you
think. But I'll write to you every day
and look for your letters as often
And so they parted. He was at the
train 10 see her of. and when he went
back to his dismal office in the opera
house and looked across the deserted
streets the world seemed blank ana very
gray.
Manager Morley wrote ten-page letter
that night. In the morning he came early
10 his desk and ell day and for days
thereafter bothered the postal clerks
with his queries for letters. There were
none. Weeks passed, and from Fihne
there was no sign. He never faltered in
his loyalty nor his letters TIL one day
he got 4 letter from his mother. She
was coming from Michigan to visit him
and his Wanted western home. Then
he bethought him OF the ring. his fathers
ring, that she had given him as herr
tage OF the old home memories. It had
within its plain circles an inscription.
From Janet 10 Harry cut IN script
And so, desperate in his loneliness. his
faith in Efhne shaken by her silence,
doubts OF all women rising IN his impress
sionable mind. Morley bethought him Of
having his fathers ring duplicated. Fl
fines flashing bauble hung at his watch
charm. Faithless as she might be. at
least, he thought, she had not defrauded
him. And so. as he stroled toward the
jewelry shop. thoughts that seemed mean
10 his generous mind crowded unbidden
upon him.
He told the jeweler what he wanted
\ plain gold hand, set with a white dia-
mond. lie chose the stone and described
the setting OF t.
And now" he said. concluding his IN
structions. lin script. within. want YOU
TO carve the words From Janet TO Hen
The 5eweier dropped the yellow band
and stared.
wis. aIr. Morley" he calculated. Il (
have Just such ring Inscribed IN Just
that way. Did You lose it,