Middletown transcript., 1905-12-02

window to the door, like a finger, point
ing /; and Jacks eyes had followed it as
the door silently opened. There was
faint rustic Of something soft. The wisp
Of light shot across white and pink. A
fragrance obliterated the carboIic. A
contrite incarnation Of beauty was kneel-
ing by the divan.
ooh, Jack however did you dare ?"
she sobbed. "And yon hadn't even
revolver =
1t was a curious greeting but out Of
the abundance Of the heart the lips had
to.
II had a dandy long-stemnei pipe,
Jack said. at worked all right in the
dark till / borrowed the other fellows
gun. But, dash it all it was tie wrong
fellow. There was no way OF telling the
two apart in the distance. | was after
the ring, You know but the fellow who
dealt with me inside was the one who
slipped me-
ooh, Jack, why didn't you tell me
yesterday? II you only had, you might
never have known how mean | can be. !"
''If there'd been no hold-up, Tige, yon
might never have found out what cow
ard can be-
"Jack What is this p Her trem-
bling fingers touched the bandages. In
the shadows and chagrin she had Just
noticed them. "Were You wounded and
suffering, Jack, all the time | was 50
mean to you ~
mo, no. Tige. These are only some
scratches which | got last night in an
other set-to after the ring. But | seem
fated; for after all it wasn't there when
got there. You see, was eating cheese
sandwiches when they wanted to see our
hands. and the fellow who was depicting
me spotted the sandwiches and showed
whole one up under his handkerchief.
The only good look | had was at his little
finger going up to his mouth. There was
a queer crook in it, and yesterday saw
that same little finger going up to the
mouth with cigarette and BY Jove ! it
had my ring on it. That was one too
many. | called the fellow down last
night out by Mission Cliff. Worse luck,
didn't have my pipe, and he managed
two shots at me before | got away his
pistol. And after all lie lighted a match
and showed me his hand to prove that
the ring wasn't there. | even offered TO
let him off, pro. tenn, il he would give it
up, but lie wouldn't. He"
"Jack Y
"Well?'
1T was because lie couldn't. Here it
is. He gave it to me just after You left.
"By Jove! that's the ring. But how
the deuce do you know who /"
Il saw tile crooked little finger going
up with the cigarette, Jack"
"And he asked yon to marry him,
and" Jack was trying to rise. The
reminder was sharp. He cringed, and
to cover it muttered "lf you told him
to wait till lie finished his education it'll
be long one, for les going to San
Quentin"
"You're just horrid, Jack And you
have perfect right to be"
mo, l haven't. 1t was mean. did
not think what | was saying"
"Well, positively refused him, Jack.
Truly I did. And when he would not
take no, and insisted on leaving the
ling, told him to 60 to papa"
"But your papa isn't dead, Tige.
"You mean thing Anyway, | knew
that Count Zorotti, as lie called himself,
would wish that he was, before lie got
away. Papa is too fond Of you to fancy
even real foreigners.
"Well, that settles it, Tige. The ring
has got round to you, all right, in its own
stupid way. Now you put it on right
away, or I'll ask papa myself-see r.
II will not, Jack, for am not worthy"
Rodents Give it to me- I'll put it
on with my left hand"
"Oh, Jack, I'm so sorry for your
80 am !, dash it 1t wonld be the
proper thing for me to hug you. want
to, and / can't"
II can take tile will for the deed, Jack,
till you're better. But about the ring,
Jack Oh, can't can't!
'Can you give me some vagne idea
about why not r.
"Why, haven't finished my educa-
ton, Jack. | haven't learned to differen-
tiate between cowardice and expediency."