Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-10-27

HAIRY StOOQ ISuSSI pOL5SuB SoIShAh6
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 himself down heavily into a chair.
was plain in his helpless stare that
he knew exactly what 1t all meant.
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 she would
O it out of him. His answer was
correspondingly low and soft.
TITS that damned ring"
She heard her secret fear spoken
aloud with such assurance that she
waited, certain at the next moment
Harrv's voice would people the 81
lence with all the facts that had SO
far escaped her. But when, after a
moment 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"
Eyes, yes; but he did," Flora in
sisted.
WELL" he answered quickly, but
that was before" He caught him
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 w@s
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 him hesitate, choos
, ing his words. She knew well enough
her own fear Of saying too much-but
what was Harry afraid of? Did h
suspect her feeling for Kerr? Wa
that why he was holding back, leaV
ing out, giving her the small, expul
gated version of what he knew. Sh
q tried again. making it palmer.
n "You think the ring is something h
v ought not to have had; somethin
! that belongs somewhere else?"
He looked away from her, aroun
n the room, as If to pick up his answe
# from some of the n "Well, an!
n way, it's lucky we waited about thu
$ setting" he said with quick irrel'
q vance. eff you're going to be annoye
in this way you'd better let me hav
it."
y Why hadn't she thought of that!
lie was what any man might say, aftt
er hearing such a story as hers, yet
i'd was the last thing she had thought c
r. and the last thing she wanted.
* ooh, leave it with me-" she quave
i'd ed, "at least till you're sure!"
IT, ooh, mol" He gave his head a quic
re decided shake. eff something shou
come out, you wouldn't want to |
~ mixed up in it."
"Then why not give 1t back to Il
N Chinaman?" she tried him.
h, "oh, that's ridiculous" He was
Id a passion. His darkening eyes, /
l swelling nostrils, his aspect so out
Mt proportion to. her mild and almc
playful suggestion, frightened her. !
lat saw it and instantly his mood dropp
to mere irritation. "Oh, Flora, do
TX. make a scene about it. This thing h
he been on my mind for days
he thought that you had the ring. | W
W. afraid I had no business to let y
ne have it in the first place, and wi
ray you've told me tonight has Gle
MT knocked me out. I don't know wi
i'm I'm saying. Come, let me have
I'M. and if there's anything queer abb
yht the business, at least we'll get
the cleared up"
He But, smiling, she retreated bef'
a him.
Lef. "Why, Flora" he argued, half lau
OIL ing, but still with that dry end of
r~itation in his voice, what on ca
he do you want to keep the thing for?
,41u BY this time she backed against
' window and faced him. why,
NO my engagement ring"
to He looked at her. She couldn't
the whether he was readiest to laugh
rage.
ky. "You gave it to me for THAI"
'oss pleaded. "Why shouldn't | keep
until you give me a real reason
les- giving it up? If you really know 9
thing, who don't you tell met"
'eet was sure she had him there; but
win. burst out at last:
FTo he Continued