The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-04-01

her room with her wet handkerchiefs
and the ring. It had beenyeasy. She
had never stolen anything before, and
It was so terrible thing that she was
faint and trembled like q leaf She
thought:
"Tn feel better in the morning, and
then I'll see.'
But no sleep came to her, and In the
morning it was all she could do to
rise and drag herself to the store. Her
eyes were heavy and her head ached.
She was pale and wan. The very
foorwalker to win whose admiration
she had stolen stopped and Gaid:
miss Lovejoy, are you illf'
And he looked so sympathetic that
Ida's chin quivered and her eyes filed
as she replied:
"Just little headache; that Is all.
"You won't be able to dance tonight.
Hadn't better get you excused to-
day? I Will If you wish"
IF you please" she said weakly,
while she thought "What II he knew?"
She looked very Ill. The diamond
that was wrapped in a handkerchief
in her bosom seemed to weigh ton
and to burn like redhot iron. She
leaned against the shelves with
pinched features until he returned
with the desired permission.
''Shan I get cab for your he asked
kindly.
"I-think-I Will walk. The air may
do me good. 1t is SO warm In here.
Thank you very much"
Ida had beautiful eyes The floor
walker had often noticed this tall,
silent girl with her heavy braids.
plainly Of her own hair. He was tired
Of the ridiculous pompadours Of the
other girls. Her voice was low and
sweet. and now 1t Quivered with the
emotion that shook her very soul.
She dared not look into his eyes for
fear he would know she was thief.
She had not realized what she had
done fully until now. but now, know
ing 1t, she trembled.
No thought Of the ball entered her
mind II she could only restore the
ring!
She crept back to her boarding house
and to her room. She heard the girls
come home and heard thfir gay chat
ter as they were preparing for the
fancy ball.
Dimly she remembered that she had
intended to pawn that ring and buy
gown she had seen. all silver, like
moonlight on still water. And she was
going to get veil Of sbangied tulle
and tinsel crown. let dSwr. her long
dark. hail. and call .Aet costume
might" All was over now, and she
was a thief.
What If the sonora caused a search
to be nader She must hide 1t until
she could replace It, The window was
closed now. Then the supper bell rang.
She remembered that she had eaten
nothing all that day and went trem-
blingly down. To her Joy the sonora
was not there, and the other girls were
all so full Of the ball that her silence
passed without comment.
At last all the other girls left the
house in gay spirits, leaving Ida alone
in her fear, shame and horror Of her
self
The night the ring had been stolen
Sonora Valdez had sought for 1t every
where in her room. She knew where
she had left it. Nothing else had been
taken. She knew that she had put II
on the tree and that 1t was there when
she left, for all four Of the girls had
preceded her, and she had locked and
tried the door. She was always very
methodical.
"Some one must have a key that fits
my door and came in while was
downstairs" she thought.
The sonora did as the most OF US de
and took all her other valuables to the
safe deposit vault, but she said nj
word to any one Of her loss.
IF l call the police" she thought
"and have a search made all the limo
cent will hate me, and | may nevel
find It. II keep absolute silence ant
watch some day the one who took i
will say some word or do something
which will betray him and show MI
the thief. l wish that 1t had been an!
other jewel"
So the sonora went to sleep. Th'
next day brought no proof. That an!
one could have reached the ring tre
from the bathroom window never en-
tered her head.
Scarcely had the merry party gon
to the ball when there was a ring ant
visitor for Miss Lovejoy. She fel
~hn a Ia hnvS n q
handsome floorwaiker came In.
II heard you were not going to tn
ball, so thought would come in an
see-if you-are better"
Eyes, but don't care very much fo
parties or balls" All this while sh
was wondering why he had come.
J. mo more do L." said he. ''1 lik
o quiet better. think I was cut out fc
home lover"
d II think I am. too," said Ida, with
F. half sob as the memory OF her Grim
l. surged up in her mind. closing the doc
3 Of any home for her
1t "It seems to me that things wei
D. better when women didn't have to 6
Ie from home to work, and the men di
le it all, and the women kept the homes
D. EYES," she replied weakly. 1T seen
rs If a home Of ones own, no matte
1t how small or poor. should be lih
y heaven
n Miss Lovejoy. forgive me II see
q abrupt. but would you care for hon
ie with met Don't speak yet. hay
er watched you long time. You are n
like the other girls, silly and fr1volou