Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-09-08

saw them now in the back of the shop,
close by the grinning brazier.
The light Of it showed what would
have been otherwise dark. 1t showed
her Harry, ~straddling, hands in peck
cts, hat thrust back, a silhouette as
hard as if cast in cold metal. The as
pect Of him, thus, was strange, not
quite unlike himself, but giving her
the feeling that she had never known
how much Harry smoothed over.
Whatever they we're arguing about,
she found 1t hard to go on standing
thus with her back to it, and for so
long, while her expectancy frightened,
and her unreasonable idea that she
did not want the ring, 10 and more
took hold Of her. If he did not want
to sell 1t, why not let it go-the beau
tiful thing!
She thought she would call Harry
and suggest it-but no. She hesitated.
She would give them a chance to
finish it themselves. She would count
ten pfgtails past the window first.
She turned, and there they were
yet. They had not moved. The shad-
ow of the gesticulating little China
man danced like a bird on the wall,
and before him Harry glowed, immov-
able, but rudy, as If the hard metal
whereof he was cast was slowly heat
ing through. The thought came to
her then. Harry was iron! The hard
shade of his profile on the wall, the
stiff movement Of his lips, the for
ward thrust. of his head On. his shout
ders gave Her another thought. Was
Harry also brutal?
What she expected of Harry, a vio-
lent act or a quick relaxation Of his
iron mood, she had not time to consid-
er, for the s%hopkeeper had moved.
He was jerking his head, his thumb,
and finally his arm in the direction OF
the long, dim passage-such a pointed
direction. such a singular gesture, as
to startle her with it's incongruity.
What had that to do with the price OF
the ring? And if it had nothing to
do with the price of the ring, what
had they been talking about? Hell
small scruple against knowing what
was going on behind her was forgot
, ten. Indeed, now she was oblivious o.
everything else. She was taking it II
with all her eyes, when Harry turned
!, and looked at her. And, oddly
enough she thought he looked az
If he wondered how she came
there. She saw him return to !
I slowly. Then, in a flash, he met he
/ brilliantly. He came toward her GU
/ Of the gloom, holding the ring before
q him, as il with the light of that, anc
4 the flash of his smile, he was anxious
! Immediately to cover his deficit.
II had the very devil of a time get
ting it." he said, "The little begga
didn't want to let me have it" Blu
there was a subsiding excitement il
4 his face, and q something in his mar
ner, both triumphant and troubled
which his explanation did not reasor
ably account for.
"Harry"-she hesitated-"are yo
i" quite sure it's all right?"
d "Al right?" The sudden edge In hi
d voice made her look at him. "WhJ
IF it's genuine, IL that's what you mean.
1t hadn't been, quite; but her NEAR
ING was too vague to put into words
4 mere sensation Of uneasiness. Sh
7, watched Harry turn the ring over. a
d il he were reluctant to let it go OF
If Of his hands. And then, looking q
8. her. she thought his glance was d Ii
g tie uncertain. She thought he hes
tated, and when he finally slid til
d rir& over her finger. y wouldn't wes