The Cairo bulletin., 1908-08-03
The
RUEY RING


-.n4 Taalna the dipper when
taax r. lae zel Parker dipped
5eau in.o the ster- Il vas TOO
REGION 10 trrn ngt and II Eas only
momeu, before held In hts hand
. gold -ng
n tarnEshed IN b2 sure but L
ras strangely familiar FoF an IN
s,ert ne lauttt1 bis oar eyes. but
,sr.- he asd looked al the setting.
a-8ch held & peculiarly snapnf rudy
ana several tiny pea.ls. and '9neea
At ire lrser pti0n inside ne fue~
thont = doubt that il Eas the r'ng
he bad given to Ruth Lorton '-Efe
ears ago
Sha had lost Il while away Oh f~r
rrafson which she had spent al
same f<ru house-fhss Sss the F@e-
soon why Parker had decided >
torsa mere. Ea:ly one mornin1 R
had gone do~n stairs. and when s@-
returned TO her room only fe" NJ
ments later the rng, which had b. 4
lying on Ger bureau vas not To ta
tocnd anywhere.
when she nd told Parker tais
story he bad nncCnsciouslg sho~n a
little doubt 80 his ma nueF. Ruth
had resented this and quarrel had
arisen which had resulted in the
engagement being broken.
You said you vas goIu hshin'
With ne today." piped BOYS voice
as PARKER prepared to make himself
com frrta BE on the shady side o. the
para A boy about ten years Old
Rss Looping % the steps. His shoek
u tow-colpred ha'r and the numerous
, ecklas rnieh often 20 with Il we're
topped by a wlde-brimmed straw hat.
Well Bob don't believe we'll 90
this morning It's most too aate no~.
Wen start early some other morn
ing What a. you ssy2"
All right" Bob assented, but he
acted a l..Ia disappointed Were
g0l1 10 have another hoarder next
eeeE. he said rather UNEXPECTEDLY,
after q short Pause.
shes dandy xent on the hoy,
sho,z good. too Mis- Lorton IS"
Parker s. AIRED a. him Miss I.or-
ton. he repeated What DAY is
/ she com 'ng2. ne asked turning tina
ring over and over In his hand
Monday. answered Bob. she"
But he id no. finish bis sentence.
He turnea suddenly and almos, ran
I into The house
Parker could hardly wait for Mon
/ aay 20 come He was sitting on the
I piazza when she came, She paled
I slightly at the f,st sight Of him. but
I r, turned h's bow coolly as she passed
( iu.o tire house
( For three days Parker found IL
/ impossible 10 speak 10 Ruth alone.
! He was confident that If he could
/ have tax with her and show her
the ruby ring everything would be as
| = had been three years ago His
thoughts were Interrupted BY the ap-
1 pe8rance OF Bob
TT want" stammered the boy,
/ standing first on one leg and then
/ the otter He evidently had some
/ thiDc on bis m nd which he wanted
to tell Parker, but did not know
( how 10 begin.
What Is It Bob?" asked Parker.
with encouraging smile
/ You've given me a knife and
4 fshin pole. and ! don't know what.
and I'm goin' to tell you some
/ thin"
All right" said Parker kindly.
I'm waiting"
You know that ring you got out
Of the we'll t'other mornin' and"
Yes, yes" broke In Parker
You held It in your hand as though
1 You thought lot Of 1T wanted TO
tell you then, but | couldn't. And
/ when she come sec you two WASH I
Lood friends. and SO I'm goin' to tell
you about it. throwed-it into the
veil.
You threw IT into the we'll" re-
peated Parker, astounded. what
| for"
I'm going TO tell you the truth
took the ring of Miss LOTIONS bu-
reau. cause twas awful shining and
rre'ty-l was only kid then. when
] see every body huntin' for II ! got
scared ana throwed II IN the we'll
I've been awful sorry | done II +"
Bob's eyes we're fixed on the floor Of
the piazza. and Parker was confident
tfat he Was very near tears
Bob. yot.'ve made lot Of trou-
Bile, he said after while But
you're a brick to tell now. II you'll
go 10 Mss Lotion and tell her, maybe
things will be all right"
1t isn't necessary" said a voice
right behind them. Looking M.
Psrter saw Ruth smiling with the
old lovelight in her eyes Bob went
awsy softly and left the two alone
He was only a little child then. 80
gaid Ruth We mustn't blame
him
No indeed We mustn't returned
Parker fervently. 'Bob's all right "
After a moment he added will yon
crgive me Ruth, for act ng as though
Z doubted you2"
There's nothing to forgive R
Ronald. was as much to b'sme a.