Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-09-19

Will send 1t the first thing i'll the morn
ing" she said as she went down to
dinner
Three hours afterward She fastened
the ivory elephant to the long gold
chain attached to her fan and went to
the Gearing dance.
Late in the evening flushed with
dancing and looking very much like
rose in her pink frock. she waited
in the conservatory while her partner
went for an ice Mrs Gearing tluttcr-
ed down an aisle of Grange trees with
tall young man in tow.
Marian, dear. let me present Mr..
Bcckwith - Miss StandSh. l shall
leave you to entertain her. johnson"
she nuttcrcd away again. intcrccpting
the ice laden young man and carrying
him captive into the ballroom.
Marian's customary SanGfroid aban-
dOncd her. and she stood with guilty,
downcast eyes before the owner of the
white elephant He was looking down
at her with a strange expression on his
face.
asked after an awkward silence.
II am afraid not" she replied in Il
low tone. Then with Il quick move
mcnt she detached the charm from her
chain and held it toward him in her
small ElOved palm This is yours, |
believe" she added brcathlcsSly. Il
found it that day in the park. and
l,,I I,,,t II
so pretty | have dcllycd"- Her voice
faltcred. and her lovely eyes filled
with tears
Bcckwith was looking at her agitat
ed face with very tender eyes.
Don't distress YOURSELF Miss Stand
ish." he said earnestly. "Of course I
am delighted to find it, but there was
no harm in your keeping it as long as
you wished"
please take it now" sh" said hur-
ricdly
"Iow did you know it WIS mine?"
he asked as he placed th" little clc-
plant in his pocket
Il saw the advertisement in the pa
per the next morNing. and then that
day-whcn | met You in the park
you saw it and spoke to me-l don't
know what you thought"
Il never saw it, he laughed cheer
fully. You had dropped this, and |
was about to call your attention to it
when YOU and the dog fro"e me with
looks" He took from an inner po"k-
ct Il small daintily embroidered hand
kcrchicw Marian ioincd in his laugh.
but she felt very uncomfortable when
he returned the handkerchief to its
hiding place with an air of quiet pos
session \ certain expression about
his mouth enlightened her as to his
identity.
"You must be johnson Mordaunt
Bcckwith. the explorer have read
your book on East Indian islands, ANA
| am sure there is Il portrait in the
front Of the book She was radiant
with interest.
"Guilty!" he admitted promptly.
'Now. how am to reward your hon
eSty. Miss STandiSh:" he asked with
mock >"iio:!$reSS.
"Trll me the meaning of the mys-
tcriouS rattle within thu harm. am
dying to know" she Replied
Il cannot tell You Eow. he said. with
sudden gravity. "PrrIaps some day |
may. if you will let me
Three months later when she had
consented to marry him, johnson
Beckwih told her the brief story of
the white elephant.
"It was given to me as Il mark of
esteem by an Indian prince he said.
"ln itself the elephant is one of mul-
ttude of similar curos but He
detached it from his fob and with Il
slight twist of his fingers the gold
band slipped away and the charm fell
in halves, and from one of the halves
rolled a marvellous ruby. This" con-
tinued Beckwith tcndcrly. was the
gift of the prince, and place it in
here for safe keeping. Planned that
some day 1t would be w"rn by my
wife"
WAS it not wonderful that | should
find it, JohnSon?' she asked as his
arms cncircled her.
at is the most wonderful adventure
that has ever befalen me. darling"
he said rs he kissed her lips.