Middletown transcript., 1905-12-02
WAY THE RING WENT ROUND
BY WILLARD FRENCH

Eastern education could make coward
out of you.
"Would it have been cowardly, Tige ?"
Jack began brushing again, as though he
had found some more dust.
"Would it? If that is a proposition
from Harvard, Jack, it is one thing you
would better have forgotten before the
week was out, especially if you spent that
week in coming back to California. Think
Of carful Of people sitting like this, for
two men to help themselves r. Her
pretty hands went up, handkerchief and
all, and merry laugh drifted between
them.
Il never carry revolver, Tige. What
could ] have done? And suppose that a
fellow was armed and ready to take
chances. Wouldn't it have been rash to
set lot of bullets flying about crowded
car ?''
maybe, in scholastic sophistry, Jack ;
but all the same to give up and be pocket
emptied was cowardly and, being Cal
ifornian, detest cowardice."
81 should think it more question OF
expediency than courage" Jack said, re-
luctantly hanging up the brush. He sat
down on the top step, the side away from
the armchair, and leaned against the
post. He could not get his eyes above
the vague prophecy Of future crack
across the toe Of his riding-boot. He was
wondering how he came to feel SO salts
fled with everything, just outside the
gate.
'That sounded beautifully Bostonish,
Jack, the girl said "but you're not III
Boston now, my boy. And you know
very well that if you had been on the
train last evening you would never in all
the world have"
Il was there" Jack said, looking into
her eyes.
"Jack Wilton !. For shame! l don't
be"
Il was there, Tige.''
Il don't believe it, jack"
you'll have to, Tige, for the fellows
got the ring wrote you about
"Did you hold up your hands, like this,
and let two men"
There was only one near me, Tige.
let him empty my pockets, and among
other things take the diamond ring was
bringing to you. And dash it all !
hadn't stopped to have it engraved"
The slipper-toe gave different toss.
1T is quite immaterial, she said. "I've
no fancy for lions after they've been
turned into lambs in Eastern uniyersi-
ties.''
"Tige y
"Well. might as well say it right out,
Jack. There's no use waiting for euphony.
mean it. A pretty protector such man
would make! If had been with you /
suppose you would have delivered me up
too, if they chose to take me, all as a
matter Of expediency."
"What? With all that pretty pink |
chiffon and those stunning bangs, Tige ?"
''Some one is coming mp the drive. 1t
is Count Zorotti, Spanish nobleman.
He has taken quite fancy to us and has
been here no end of late. I beg of you
to remember that am Miss Baxter"
Jack remembered, and yet he found |
time for a certain amused satisfaction |
over the surprise in the Spaniard's eyes
and qliiver Of his lips which continually |
startled his mustache, indicating that the
warmth of consideration he was receiving
was something new and unexpected. He
was not burdened with opportunities to
put thoughts into words so he let them |
run upon the tints Of sunset on the pink
chiffon and the flashes OF fire on the girls |
cheeks, till he wondered if i was all the
sunset, or partly the q at man
was absorbed in roe Cigarette and
to the girl, while his smile played |
with his mustache. As Jacks
eyes followed the thought OF rival, the
cigarette was on its way up 20 the wait
ing lips, triumph Of manufacture.
After that Jacks wits apparently for
sock him altogether. Lillian spoke to
him, and when he started and asked her
to repeat she turned to the Court in dis
gust. 1t was so evident that the Eastern
education had demoralized his usefulness,
in her estimation, that Jack did the best
thing he could for himself when he took |
himself away.
He remembered Lillian saying: "You
must come out again sometime and spend |
an evening. He remembered it be-
cause it was odd for her to say. He re-
membered that the Court said something
about seeing him again and that he re-
piled :"Oh, yes, we shall certainly meet"
But better, he remembered the dewdrops
glistening on his horses name and lot
Of such irrelevant things. And all the
time he was thinking about cheese sand
wiches.
\
At ten o'clock that night Jack lay in
bed. The doctor had just left him. He
was bandaged and pale. There were
lines OF pain on his face, but he seemed
half tempted to smile. The Chinese boy
glided across the rugs with letter which |
he had to open, for Jacks available hand
was OH the wrong side. A messenger
waited in the hall for an answer. The
smile trinmphed as be read
Jack, dear JACK, am SO horribly, so
awfuiIy ashamed | have just read in
the evening paper how you jumped off
the train last night after the robbers, and
all alone i'll the dark with those two
rufians, captured one of them and held
him all night at the point Of his own
pistol, till the morning train stopped for
YOU.
It was just like you, Jack, and the
pluckiest thing ever heard Of. How
you must despise me! But please come
out tomorrow, Jack, the first thing in
he morning, just to let me tell you how
/ hat inyself for being SO mean to Won.