The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-23
Our Daily Short Story

Johh brent forgot that he had been reading the political editorials and looked over the top of the paper at his wife
 What makes you want a diamond ring. Mary?' he asked, gently.
 Her blue eyes frightened She thought he was relenting.
 Why. I've wanted one all my life. When I was little bit of a girl bad one with a glass set. and when I grew too old for that I used to dream of the time when would be old enough to be engaged so that my lover would get me one''
 You should have chosen a richer lover." said her husband with a tinge of bitterness. Young hardware mer- chants can't quite go at the diamond ring pace"
 His wife hardly heard what he said she stretched a dimpled, white hand out across the table and was admiring g 1t.
 Seer she said, with a Hash of CO., quetry. Its pretty enough for dia- monds, isn't 1t? That Mrs Burrows on Tenth Street has hands that are big and red. She has one diamond as big as robins egg-almost"
 Her husband Is saloon keeper; he can afford it," smiled John. looking at the dainty hand that lay in his rough palm. He was wondering just how long he was going to be able to keep sidering the diamond question. Then he put 1t gently down and leaned on the table. looking at hts wife closely.
 Perhaps haven't told you SO that you fully understand, Mary" he said after a minute. You're a good deal of q child about some things. and you don't think. But business Is bad-not mine only, but every ones. There's that new store here-a branch of the big one in the city. and they are cut ting prices murderously. And we have heavy expenses, too. I don't know how, but we manage to eat and drink and wear almost more than we can pay for. And then there was the hospital bill. and the doctor's---it took monhs to pay that" a
 'I suppose you wish it had been a funeral bill," said Mary. sulkily.
 Mary Don't you dare to say such a thing again as long as you live! You shall not twist my meanings in that way. Can't you be a little reasonable? :? Then you decided that the house was too shabby to live in. though the things we had bought when we were married seemed very fine to us at the time and 1t wasn't so very long ago."
 We vera awfullv green" she said.
 Well, you've got over the green ness" said her husband, dryly. And the rugs and furniture and hangings have not yet got the last payment, and the furnace needs fixing, and the house needs painting. We must so slow. It, tie girl!'
 Mary Brent's lips quivered for a mo- ment, and then hiding her face on her arm she sobbed like a spoiled child. Her husband was first sorry-then an- gry. This was too childish.
 The trouble with you and all the rest of the women like you Is that you haven't enough to do to keep interest ed. You sit around and think of your selves until you believe you are mar tyrs, when a little work would be bet ter for you. It isn't all your fault, though he added slowly. If the baby had lived, you would have been more grown-up."
 His wife sprang to her feet. I'm almost glad he didn't live" she sobbed. T wouldn't want him to hear his father talk like that to me-" and she whirled from the room.
 John Brent spent a wakeful, uneasy night, but by morning he thought he had found solution. He ate his lone ly breakfast-Mary never got up to breakfast any more-and went down town early. During the forenoon he went over to the office of Jim Reade, the most prosperous attorney in the town and his best friend. The two were closeted in the consulting room for over an hour and as he came out into the reception room. John said, 'Tll take good care of 1t, Reade, and bring 1t back tomorrow. The fact that you aren't mal fied makes 1t easier. wouldn't want any other woman to know"
 As soon as he got to the store he went straight into his private office and called up the police station. With in few moments a detective whom John Brent knew well passed through the store and into the little room. The clerks looked at each other furtively and applied themselves vigorously to their work They could not help hear ing the burst of laughter that came from the office, however. though the ensuing conversation was too low to be l heard.
 That evening John Brent went home little later than usual. and sat dowr to the waiting dinner-table without l changing his coat, which he usually did to please his wife. Mary. appar, ently entirely recovered from the head ache she usually had after such storm, | times. sat opposite to him, dainty anC pretty in her pale pink house gown l The dinner table was attractive an( daintily set. and Nora, in a clean white apron, numbered awkwardly around tn, table serving the simple dinner. John seemed to be very nervous Ht ate little and kept glancing furtiveIy at his wife. who was seemingly indif ferent, but who knew the signs, anC thought he was about to present hei with a peace offering She wondered what it would be.
 They had reached the pudding anC Nora had retired to the kitchen wher the doorbell rang, and John started tC his feet as if he had been expecting