Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1910-11-04

everything as she tossed it off; then
as if all at once he felt the full weight
of the burden. Lord" he said, and
let himsel down heavily into a chair.
1t was plain in his helpless stare that
he knew exactly what it all meant
Laying her hands on the high chair
arms. leaning down so that she could
look into his face, Flora made her
thrust.
What do you think he wants?" she
gently asked. 1t was as If h would
coax it out of him. His answer was
correspOndingly low and soft.
It's that damned ring"
She heard her secret fear spoken
aloud with such assurance that she
waited, certain at the mex mOment
Harry's voice would people the ST.
lence with all the facts that had so
far escaped her. But when. after n
m of looking before him he did
speak. he went back to the beginning,
which they both knew.
You know he didn't want to part
with it in the first place"
Yes, yes; but he did" Flora in
sisted.
WELL he nswered quickly, but
JndJ was before" ne caught I'LL
self and went on with a scarcely per
Ceptible break: He may have had
a better offer for it since
He couldn't have put it more mildly,
and yet that temperate phrase brought
back to her in a flash a windy night
full of raucOus voices and the great
figures in the paper that had covered
half a page-the reward for the Crew
Idol. Could it be that-that sum so
overwhelming to human caution and
human decenCy which Harry had
cloaked by his grudging phrase some
better Offer" What else could he
mean? And what else could the blue
eyed Chinaman mean by his strange
pursuit of her?
Some one must have wanted 1t
awfully," Flora tried again, keeping
step with his mild admission.
Harry covered her with an impressive
stare. There's something queer about
that ring" he nodded to her. He was
going to tell her at last! She gaZed
at him in expectation. but presently
she realized that nothing more was
coming. He had stopped at the be-
ginning. She tried to urge him on.
Queer, what do you mean" She
was feigning surprise.
He looked at her cautiously. why.
you must have noticed it yourself
when we were at the shop. And now.
tonight, his having followed you"
She could see min hesitate, chOos-
ing his words. She knew we'll enough
her own fear of saying o much-but
what was Harry afraid Of? Did he
suspect her feeling for Kerr? Was
that why ne was holding back, leav-
ing out, giving her the small, eXpur-
gated version of what he knew. She
tried again. making 1t palmer.
"You think the ring is something he
ought not to have had; something
that belongs somewhere else?'
He looked away from her, around
the room, as if to pick up his answer
t from some of the corners well, any
way. it's lucky we waited about that
setting" he said with quick irreIe-
vance. "If you're going to be annoyed
in this way you'd better let me have
it."
Why hadn't she thought Of that! IL
: was what any man might say, after
hearing such a story as hers, yet it
was the last thing she had thought OF,
: and the last thing she wanted.
"Oh, leave it with me-" she quaver'
ed, lat least till you're sure!"
"Oh, no." He gave his head a quick,
Z decided shake. IF something should
come out. you wouldn't want to be
= mixed up in it"
Then why not give it back to the
Chinaman?" she tried him.
"Oh, that's ridiculous" He was in
a passion. His d~arkening eyes, his
I swelling nostrils, his aspect so out OF
t proportion to her mild and almost
playful suggestion, frightened her. He
saw it and instantly his mood dropped
to mere irritation. "Oh, Flora, don't
make a scene about it. This thing has
e been on my mind for days-the
e thought that you had the ring. I was
y afraid | had no business to let you
e have it in the first place, and what
y you've told me tonight has clean
t. knocked me out. don't know wha'
n I'm saying. Come, let me have 1t
and if there's anything queer abOu'
It the business, at least we'll get =
e cleared up"
.e But, smiling, she retreated befOr'
d him.
- why, Flora" he argued, half laugh
u ing, but still with that dry end Of il
p ritation in his voice, what on eartl
&c do you want to keep the thing for?"
lv BY this time she backed against tn
window and faced him. Why, 1T
o my engagement ring"
to He looked at her. She couldn't tel
be whether he was readiest to laugh o
rage.
y. You gave it to me for that sh
SIS pleaded. Why shouldn't l keep
until you give me a real reason 10