Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-03-01

| Lady Eleanor was in the carriage,
and she was looking, as Finetta was,
at the stalWart young man in front OF
| the jewelers. window and her face
was quite as pale as F'inetta's. Should
she open the window and call to him.
She lOnged 10 do so; and yet, some.
thing vague presentiment-
kept her from doing SO. She watched
him, her heart beating with love, un-
til the block had melted away and the
carriage had moved on; then she
pulled the check-string, and when the
footman got down, said:
Drive TO Oxford street, and then
come back here please"
Meanwhile. all unconscious that
these two women were watching him,
Yorke went into the shop.
Il want to look at some rings" he
said to the man, who bowed TO him
with an air of respectful recognition,
It happened TO be the same man who
had served him the other day
Fancy rings, my lord?
mo, no." said Yorke, trying to
speak in the ordinary and casual way.
and feeling very much as he had felt
while procuring the lcense-"er-wed-
ding and keeper.rings."
Certainly, my lord" said the man,
without the faintest change of coun.
tenance; and he placed a couple of
trays on the counter. What size my
lord?"
Yorke looked up with a start of per.
plexity.
"Size?" he repeated, vaguely, as he
mentally called himself an idiot for
not having measured Leslie's finger.
"Oh, small size. ! don't quite
know. Yes, quite small size,
Here, I'll take two or three. They're
all alike, | suDpose?"
Some heavier than the others, my
lord"
"All right give me the heaviest
and the keeper-isn't that what it's
called?"
Eyes, my lord it keeps the wed
ding,ring in It's place, you see"
Il see" said Yorke. Well, I'll
have one or two of these, the smaller
ones; put this one in" and he picked
out one SCI with pearls and turquoises
I'm send back those don't keep"
He tried to slip them on his little
finger, but they would not go further
than the first joint, and he laid them
down with a smile. In a few hours
perhaps, he would DE placing them on
his darlngs fnger-~his wifes!
The shopman put the rings in a box
and Yorke slowed them away careful.
ly, very carefully, in an inner pocket,
and went out, still dreaming OF the
hour when he should stand before the
altar Of the quiet little church in st.
James,
Two or three minutes afterward the
dainty brougham pulled up at the
shop door, and tinetta entered.
she was as we'll known to the jew.
eler as was Lord Auchester, and, II
possible, he made her more respect,
full and elaborate bow, she was Il
good customer, and, like most people
in her position, she liked a great show
Of respect. So he leaned forward and
placed chair for her, and with an.
other bow asked what he could have
the honor of doing for her,
Finetta's large, dark eyes wandered
over the counter with feigned indif
ference and listlessness. Il only want
small present" she said.
Yes, madame. For a gentleman"
and he made for 4 tray OF silver
cigarette-cases and similar articles
Finetta looked at them, but kept tho
corners of her eyes fixed on the tray
which had been on the glass counter
when she entered
What pretty rings" she said, talk
ing up ieweled keeper. "They al
most tempt me to get married."
The man smiled sympathetically.
Il suppose the bridegroom always
chooses the rings" she said with
seeming carelessness. Now | wonder
WHICH I'll IutSi HlbNl llltll NbHlN
choose?"
Some one, some another madame"
he replied. The gentleman who has
Just gone out chose one like this"
Finettas face was pale already, but
1t seemed TO hlanch, and the ring fell
from her hand and rolled aiong tne
counter.
Lord Auchester was buying a wed.
ding ring and keeper" she said,
AS the words left her lips a lady
entered the shop, and she heard them
as plainly MS ii they had been ad.
dressed 10 her And they took an in
Simultaneous and extraordinary effect.
She let the door slip from her hand,
and put It to her heart, and stood gaz.
ing, with Il strange expression in her
eyes, from Finetta to the man
1t was a dramatic moment The
two women, silent and mottonless,
| regarding each other with a world of
meaning iii their eyes, Finetta still