The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-15
THE EVENING STORY
Ruled by the Ring.
lRv Charles Stillar.

Keller stepped aside to let her pass,
ana the girl favored him with a smile
as she acknowledged his courtesy. He
went on up. the stairs with a feeling of
warmth aabout his heart, Somehow
the smile OF the Girl Across the Hall
always affected him that way. He had
otten wished that he might venture to
speak, but there was something about
her that held him back.
Ia For almost a year now they had
Deen Fellow tenants of the old rookery
That masqueraded as a studio building.
His name, neatly printed adorned his
door, but there was not sign of an
announcement on her own, from
which he inferred that she worked for
some concern and merely used the Of
Hce as a workshop.
|. He bent over his draughting board
all the morning, though theface of the
girl somehow would get mixed up with
the side elevation of the building he
was planning, and he was glad when
the tiny clock struck twelve. and he
had an excuse for stopping for lunch.
He had not yet made his fame as an
architect and lunch was an elementary
meal; couple of sandwiches brought
down from the house and a cake OF
maple sugar that he had picked up
somewhere. He Clipped off corner
of the cake with his eraser.
On the broken half a yellowiSh CLINT
caught his eye and he further dissect-
ed his portion. 1t was a ring, a slender
band of gold with ct. H. to A. G..,
1904" engraved inside. Plainly some
girls engagement ring. this Perhaps
some little country girl was bewailing
her loss even yet. He caught up the
box with its gaudy label. 1t bore an
address, and that evening he posted
letter addressed to Thomas Gillespie,
Wycoma, VT. in which he explained
the discovery of the ring and an
nounced his willingness to return 1t on
a proper description.
With his own little romance of the
Gir-I "a
interested in all romances. and as ne
slipped the letter into the box he sent
after it a wish for good luck
But sometimes blessings, like curses,
come home to roost. He was begin
ming to fear that there would be no
answer to his letter; that perhaps lhe
label was but an evasion or the pure
food law, when there came a knock a,
his door ard in answer to his ENTER
there appeared the girl from across the
hall, blushing rosily.
81 believe that you are Mr.. Vance
Keller" she began, as Vance sprang TO
his feet and busted off the company
you have the advantage of me-" he
suggested, "since I do ont know your
name.''
ed MY father wrote me to see you
about a letter you sent him ABOUT d
ring"
er a roundabout way, isn't it? l sup
pose you can describe II"
TT was a plain gold band" she said;
1.-The initials were T. H. and A. G.' ana
The initials are right" he agreed,
but the date is wrong. It's 1904"
THAT is because the ring has been
worn so long," she explained, the req
suffusing her face. THE eight Is party
The blush convinced him. and his
heart sank as he drew out the ring.
Perhaps she was bashful about ADMIT d.
ting her engagement, but II was ASo4'
He could swear to that
Her face broke into smiles as ne
drewgit from his pocket and ePasseasls
to her. -
again. she ran on. 1T dropped on my
hand last year while 1 was helping WIFI
the sugaring. I never realized that II
might be in the sugar until IL mao ail
been shipped.
She slipped the ring on her finger and
Vance noticed that it was a perfect NJ.
He breathed silent vengeance on l.
H. as he held the door open Tor her,
but took satisfaction In the thoush'
that he at least knew her name
After that when they met on the
stairs they exchanged greetings, ana
several times she had to run IN 10 DOT
row a rubber or some material, anu anu
once she had shown him her studio
where she worked over designs Tor a
Wholesale house. She was always
frankly friendly and he respected tne
rights of 1T. H. Ito
another thing Even before he had
known her he had fallen in love; ana
acquaintance had only strengthened
+be feeling More than once he thought
of moving away out of temptation, put
before he declaeo the Aoe-
He was working with his door a1ar:
and CHANGING to look up, he saw pun
of black smoke blow IN: he sP[anS
The stairway was cracking merr1ly
and two floors below the flames ndo
full possession. Theirs was rear
building, built in the yard OF the hlgn-
er structure. 1t would pc naru ms Ire
to fight, and all chance of escape py
stairway or fire escape was hopeless.
He ran to Agnes door and burst In
when there was no answer TO ms
knocking. He knew that she was IN,
for he had seen her pass. One glance
showed that he was right In MS rear.
She was stupefied by the smoke, and
he had to drag her out.
There was a scuttle to the roof, and
from there an emergency laooeT req 20
twenty feet. Desperation lent MIN
strength, and somehow he got ner
through the Scuttle, and was just MI
ing her over the edge of the adjoining
roof when the flames burst through
the roof he had just quit.
: Tn the iostling she had received the
smoke had been forced out and the air
into her lungs, and as he laid her upon
the roof she opened her eyes.
saWhat is the matter?" she cried
CT remember now. I saw the smoke
in my room and I tainted You came
"Sure." he smiled. cit wouldn't be
neighborly to leave you behlnd' woulo
it?''
wandered to the pillar of flame that
rose through the overwhelming open
ing and she shudd nred convulsively.
7'rt was splendid" she cried, with
Glowing ewes. "You must have had
Farrit1Ie time How did you do 1t %