Gunnison news-champion., 1909-04-30
the LITTLE
RUBY RING
. Sfss~sA Lesis OseAs


Ii was an lEcoa~eauent rand with
ruby settlaS. an ssia Isti. TAX II no
great worth. and - ntlsa had often
-yseculai.d al,ouf IT, h8stsry One
tainS though. she knew Frames val-
usa Il above everything that she pcs
-s.~sed.
Il say. Trances.- she'd once rcssars
ed T. her sister. who happened 10 he
polishing the ssonc. II that runy had
q story that vcut with a. Why thai
woaid he different thing II. for ga
ample. il lad been gwen 10 Bcie John
when he was cossSal 10 Calcutta by the
rajah Of sinshaise for service lid
iag him IN the consulate during an In
surrcctioa or something if IN hand
Ing 1t TO uncle the raiah had said 'Ex
ccl,cncy. this ruby rolled from the
wounds that killed Ezuka. favori,e
princess OF nay ancestor the ling of
Ahar' - one moonlight night a. the
King strol,ed in the royal gardens.
barking to the nightiRsaies"
what an unmitigated goose you are.
Cyutblaw Frances had interrupted.
smiling in spite Of herself. Immediate
". however. her exquisite face had
grown grave wen never speak OF
this little ring again. dear. Do you un-
derstaBdr'
And cynthia clever. wise cynthia
understood She understood that her
sisters nature did not crave sympa-
tbs. the sort that thrives upon mutual
confession aud confidence. She under
stood that serene and resolute Frances
met the critical situations In life with
an inscrutahle reserve
But I'm sure Of one thing" Cynthia
summed up 10 herself Here at TWEEN
ty-eight Frances is still unmarried. aud
its that little ruby ring that keeps
her an old maid In spite Of her beau
~"
A benutyt That is what Frances
Logan unquestionably was. She had
been photographed in every variety OF
pose that modern society approves
She had been painted by several Of the
most celebrated artists. In fact. she
was famous on two continents for her
rare and wonderful personal charms
Yet she was still unwed Must be
waiting for title" gossip said, MS 9th
or girls far less charming. came out.
were married
But above the doorway Of the house
Of Logan was written Ichabod-every-
thing belonging to them. the old home
stead included. gave hint of departed
glory. A wealthy marriage had been
pointed out To Frances as her duty in
life. No sacrifice had been considered
too great to give her the proper setting
TO this end. and her father aud Gym
thia. the second daughter. and the two
little motherless boys had uncomplain-
ingly submitted to remain in the back
ground that Frances might shine
abroad.
More and more plainly stood out the
Ichabod. More and more ardently
pressed the suit of Birney Gates for
Frances hand. He was man grow
ing old. with thinning brown hair pa
thetlcally brushed. but with sun red
dened face and eyes sharpened 10 keen
ness. "A man for mcn-to plan. to di-
rect. The air of the broad, energetic
west in every movement" Cynthia
had once defined him. Presently Fran
css grew weary of the struggle and
gave in. From the beginning it had
been an unequal contest, for all along
she knew that she must requite her
family for their devotion. As she was
going to sell herself for price she
might as well get the highest price.
Frances, my dear, I am bankrupt" 4"
old Mr.. Logan had said to her one
evening as they were sitting around
the library fire. Il can no longer keep
mp even a pretense of show. What
are you going TO do? Mr.. Gates stands
ready to put me on my feet again,
but,-ah, Frances His voice was al
most cry.
Frances looked quickly away. She
was toying nervously with her little
ruby ring. Cynthia bent her head
over a magazine that she had picked
up, and there was a constrained ST.
lence
Frances. dear. don't you think you
could accept him."
IF Mr.. Gates calls tomorrow, ia
ther, l shall accept him" There was
q strange. sudden glitter In the girls
dark eyes as she bent over to stir the
smoldering logs. Cynthia involuntarily
turned toward the shapely hand that
held the fire tonss. The little ruby
ring was gone,
One morning a few weeks later Mr.
Gates called and presented Frances
with Jewel case. In the early light
he looked older and reddcr than ever.
She shrank from the touch of his lips
on her hand. As she opened the case
listlessly necklace of diamonds and
rubies sprang to view.
Rubies We're her favorite stones
Some one else had promised her a
deluge of them when he should have