Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-10-12

tawny head at her; Il give you my
word; for I was there"
1t seemed to Flora fairly preposter-
Gus that Harry could sit there looking
ences behind him. Even Clara looked
a little taken aback, but the effect
was only to set ar more sharply on.
Then such man could easily
have taken the ring in the Maple room
this afternoon? You think it might
have been the man himself?"
His broad smile of appreciation en-
veloped her "Oh, you have a scent
ike a bloodhound. You haven't let go
of that once since you started. He
could have done it-oh. easy--but he
went out eight, ten years ago"
"Dled?" Flora's rising infection was
a lament
Went over the horizon--over the
r-nge. Believe he died in the col
| onies."
oh" Flora sighed, then shall
have to fancy he has come back again.
just for the sake of the Chatworth
ring. That wouldn't be too strange
It's all so strange I keep forgetting 1t
is real At least" she went on ex-
planning herself to Harrys smile. 'it
seems as If this must be going on a
long way off, as if ii couldn't be so
| close to us. as if the ring ! wanted so
much couldn't really be the one that
has disappeared" All the while she
felt Harry's smile enveloping her with
an odd. half-protecting watchfulness,
but at the close of her sentence he
frowned little.
We'll, perhaps we can find another
ring to take the place of IT,"
She felt that she had been stupid
where she should hive been most deli
cate. But you don't understand" she
| protested, leaning far toward him as
if to coerce him with her generous
warmth. THE Chatworth ring was
nothing but a fancy / had never
thought of it for a moment as an en-
| gagement ring"
BY the light stir of silk she was
! aware that Clara had risen. She look
ed up quickly to encounter that odd
look. Clara's face was so smooth, so
polished. so unrufIled, as to appear al.
most blank, but none the less Flora
saw it all in Clara's eye--a look that
was not new to her 1t was the same
with which Clara had met the an
nouncement of her engagement; the
same look with which she had con-
fronted every allusion to the APP
preaching marriage; the same with
which she now surveyed the mention
of the engagement ring-a look Meth
er approving nor dissenting. whose
calm, considerate speculation seemed
to repudiate all interest positive or
negative in the approaching event ex-
cept the one large question, What
is to become Of me?" Many times
Clara had held IL mp before her, not as
a question. certainly not as an ac-
cusation as a fat assertion Of fact;
but tonight Flora felt 1t 50 directly
and imperatively aimed at her that IL
seemed this time TO demand an audi
Bile response. And Claras way Of get
ting up, and standing there. with her
gloves on, poised and expectant, as II
she were only waiting on opportunity
to take farewell, took on, in the light
of her look, the fantastic appearance
Of final departure. I'm afraid"
she mildly reminded them, that
Shima announced the carriage ten
minutes ago."
"Oh, dear. I'm so sorry" Flora's
eyes wavered apologetically In the di.
rection of the waiting japanese.
Clara's flicker Of amusement made
her hate herself the moment 1t was
out. She could always depend on her.
self when she knew she was on exhi-
hition. She could be sure Of the right
thing II It were only large enough,
but she was still caught a: odd mo-
ments by the trifes, the web Of GER
tain social habit into which she had
slipped, full grown on the smooth sur.
face of her fathers millions. Clara's
aeeting smile lit up these tribes TO
her now az enormous. II took adyan-
tage OF her small deficit to point out
to her more plainly than ever TO what
large blunders she might be liable