The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-04-17

When Bert Haslam decided to spend
his summer holiday at Scarborough, it
was certainly with no idea of isolating
himself from the multitude. Socially,
those three weeks in August gave him
the chance Of the year. For the remain-
ing fo~rty-nine he was a .shop-walker"
"a rather superior one in a West End
establishment, it is true, but still a
"shop-walker." Whilst his holiday last
ed he was an Independent gentleman.
His frock coa (horrid badge of ser
vilityD was discarded in favor of a
light Norfolk suit, and all references to
trade were excluded from his CONVERSE
ton. But for the Cockney accent, which
he had no means OF controlling, the
superficial observer might have sup
posed Haslam to be a gentleman born
n bred.
1t was the first night of his arrival.
The high-class company in that high
class boarding house had dined, and the
gentlemen were out on the veranda, in
haling the scent Of their cigars, and,
at a longer range, the sea.
Fine evening, sir"
Haslam addressed a big, stout man,
who had been sitting opposite to him
at table.
Yes! Better than we've been having!
You've only come today?"
That's all. One can breathe here.
Beastly atmosphere in London! The
air Of the courts is just awful"
HaElam had used this diplomatic
stroke on previous occasions. 1t vague
~ connected him with the law, and
gave him prestige.
Try one of my cigars" he pursued.
Been stopping here long?'"
"a fortnight. Hope to remain a fort
night longer. My daughter likes the
place SO much"
So that nice-looking young lady, who
had made so delightful a picture OPP
posite Haslam at dinner, was this
mans daughter. Haslam already scent
ed a romantic adventure. Few were
the holidays when he did not make
nay while the sun shone by enjoying
himself with pretty girls.
Three days in the free life of the
boarding house sufficed to make them
thoroughly acquainted. The Archers-
that was their name-were very friend
~ up to a point, but. despite much skill
full maneuvering, Haslam could not Sc
cure a prolonged tete-a-tete with the
daughter Muriel. She chung limpet-
like to her father, and was not to be
drawn out-even for an innocent even
-luBduuoooe qua o. eds 9u1 no IIoIls Sur
ment Of the band. But Haslam, though
q little discouraged, persisted in his at
tentions. He would prove his quality.
The girl should see that he did not be-
long to the class of ~"bounder'' tina
lurked in even that boarding house.
Besides, from sundry signs, her father
must be wealthy.
About II o'clock one morning, Mr..
Archer and young Haslam went off to-
gether to battle. 1t was a piping hot
day, the kind Of day when the sea,
rather than the land, seems ones nat
ural element. Machines We're at a pre-
MUM; after an hours waiting the pair
We're glad enough to secure one be-
tween them. In a very little time Has
lam was in the water, and soon after
~iIbenezer Archer made a diving debut
from the topmost step.
"A glorious dip! Puts one all in a
glow" exclaimed Hasiam, when they
We're oncelmore on the machine.
"Jolly!"returned the other, muncE!ng
q biscuit. 1T makes such a difference
when the suns on the water. Hullo!
where's my ring?"
Haslam looked up in the act of tying
his boot-lace.
Your ring?"
Yes, very strange! It has disap-
peared!"
MOT that ring with the single dia-
mond, Mr.. Archer?'
That's it."
But you never wore such a valu-
able piece of jewelry In the water?' in
CURED Haslam, staring thoroughly
aghast at the other man.
oh, no! / put it on that little Shelf .
and Mr.. Archer pointed to the tiny,
three-cornered apology for accommoda-
ton which is all the average bathing
machine possesses.
It's fallen down. Come, I'll soon find
it,
Haslam suited the action to the word,
and, going down on hands n knees,
peered into all four corners of the ma
chine. But his search was not reward
ed. No CLEAN of gold or gem lit up
those damp recesses.
Good gracious, can it have slipped
through the boards?" he suggested to
Mr.. Archer, in scared tones.
They're hardly wide enough apart,
I think"
You wore it in here for certain ?'
I'm as certain as I can be. You
didn't notice 1t, Mr.. Haslam?"
Not this morning! But then, I'm
very unobservant OF such things. 1t
must be worth a. pot--a good deal?'
oh, a fair bit, but it doesn't much
matter. I'll leave word with the bath
ing a He may pick it up on the
beach We must hurry back, if we
are to be In time for lunch
That am afternoon Bert Haslam
sat on the ~esplanade, watching the
PSoPhS. = was JUST Lie occupation TO1
q perspfring afternoon, and it exactly
suited his habits at the seaside. He
recalled the incident of the morning.
What a blockhead old Archer had been
about that ring! How little he minded
the loss, too--the old boy must be rich!
Suddenly Haslam remembered that
an unopened letter from Miss Perkins
lay in his pocket. Suffice it to say
that Miss Perkins soldsa at the shop, and
was popularity supposed to be his girl
because they either flirted or spared
with one another on all possible occa-
sions. She was quite a remote reality
at this moment, but still her precious
epistle had better be read. Haslam
Owed into his pocket.
A%7curious, hard, round substance met
the approach of his finger. He got
hold of 1t, and pulled it out. Gracious
It was a. ring! Goodness gracious, ii
was old Archer's ring!
For twenty seconds Haslam gazed Al
It in awed fascination. Then with q
hurried, suspicious glance around. he
silppedit back into his pocket.
How extraordinary, and yet how or
binary after all!.He remembered plac-
ing his coat rather carelessly on the
seat of the bathing machine. The ma
had drawn up the machine whilst they
We're in the water, and, Of course, the
jolttng had tilted the ring off that IN
| efficient shelf on ia the roat .nd