The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-09-24

Tesisuoio influence which Is supposed
to draw murderers to the scenes OF
their former crimes. often to their own
undoing. Ashton was sauntering past
Packard's jewelry store. when ono oil
the clerks hailed him with: "Mr.
Packard wishes to see you moment
With sinking heart Ashton meekly
followed the clerk into the store.
Mr.. Packard looked 1t Ashton sharp
ly through his spectacles. as he In
CURED: This Is your ring. isn't IT,
Ashton's face grew very red under
the keen scrutiny OF the old man.
Yes" he stammered. pretending to
examine the too familiar ring which
Mr.. Packard held out to him. IL
lost It."
HUH" calculated the jeweler.
Looks more like theft. It came to
us by mail. knew in a minute II was
yours, for we never made another one
like IT," and he pointed to the pc
culiar setting.
Ashton groaned inwardly at the poor
memory which had caused him to for.
get that he had had the ring made to
order from special design OF his own.
at this very place.
Outwardly. however. he made tho
best OF the matter. and took posses.
sion OF the property which refused to
be lost.
He resolved to make Just one more
attempt to dispose OF the opal. II that
proved AZ great failure as his previ.
GUS efforts had been. he would keep
the ring come what might.
At two o'clock that afternoon he
made his way to the Shirley theater
where there was to be q popular priced
matinee for children. As he had ex.
pected there was q large crowd collect
ed before the entrance. Into this
seething. pushing mass OF humanity
Ashton forced his way by slow dc.
grees.
II seemed an ideal place to lose any.
thing. whether one wanted to or not.
When he could advance no farther,
Ashton slipped the ring from his I'm.
ger. and without SO much as glancing
at those about him, slyly lot II fall;
then he backed out Of the crowd as
rapidly as he could. and hurried from
the scene.
Early that evening. M he was smok.
Ing lonely pipe. and congratulating
himself upon tho fact OF his having
at last lost his nnlucky opal. the door
was flung open and Ted. the curly
headed young brother Of Marion HUI.
bert. entered.
Door was open down stairs SO Just
came right up" said Ted nonchaiantly.
Got note from sis," and, making q
sudden dive into the depths Of his
trousers pocket. he drew forth
crumpled note. which he tossed to Ash.
ton.
Ashton opened It with trembling an.
gers and read:
please come to me this evening. I
wish to restore to you something OF
value which you have lost. Marion"
He got rid OF Ted In short order. and
then struggled into evening clothes.
Poor little girl" he thought com.
miseratingly. as he fastened his prep
arations. shes had as hard time OF
II as ! have had, and now she's given
in and sent for me to tell me that
she wishes to make up and restore
herself to me. It's tough for her
to have to own up that she's been In
the wrong. 30 I'll make things as easy
for .her as ! can. by acting as II moth
ing had come between u.s."
So. when he entered the Hulberts
parlor. Ashton. not noticing or heed.
ing Marion's embarrassed demeanor,
sprang forward and clasped her unre-
sisting form In his arms. Tho quarrel
was speedily q thing OF tho past.
II was not until triumphant Ash.
ton was bidding blushing Marion
goodnight. that that young person re-
membered to say: There, I came near
forgetting TO give you your lost prop.
erty."
Il supposed that you had already
returned It." Ashton replied with .
meaning smile.
"Of course not" Marion pouted. II
wanted to give you your opal ring"
where on earth did you get IT. dc.
manded the amazed Ashton.
Il took my small niece to tho thea
ter and when reached homo I found
Il caught In the pleats Of my skirt
recognised It ~ yours and sent for
you. OF course saw you near me at
the entrance though you didn't conde.
scend to notice me"
Now his opal 10 Ashton's most treas
ured piece OF Jewelry. and when any
one says anything about an opal's
bringing bad luck to the wearer hs afs
firms stoutly that his has brought him
the best possible luck . man could
have; but he has never thought II nee
essary to explain to his wife just how
he happened to lose the opal that day
ut the theater entrance when she
found It
A0naptenna n tlanA1 "a thn EoPA