The Cairo bulletin., 1911-05-16
THE HAT
DID 1T"
By JANE PINCKNEY BENNETT
Copyright by American Press Asso-
stz

mond ring from her finger and handed
1t to him. But instead Of walking
away in high dudgeon he sat down
in an easy chair, rested his head back
on the cushion. his elbows on the
arms. and. holding the ring In his
hands before his eyes. examined 1t
critically. She cast glance at him
and uttered an exclamation Of anger
at his Indifference.
II must change that" he said to
himself. though aloud Cant use this
one again. l must get another"
III you are saying all that for my
benefit" she said. you are having
your trouble for nothing"
Il must apologize for having given
you stone with flaw In 1t. l was
deceived"
| II don't see that 1t makes any differ
ence now"
But the ring can't be used again"
USED again! What do you meanr'
"Why, ! have promised Sue that IL
you ever got hnffy and returned 1t she
should have It,"
Sue is my sister
"She said that, did she?'
"Oh, yes; she predicted this"
"Oh. she didv'
Eyes"
"And you're going to give her the
ring"
"Oh, no; not this one. I'll get her
perfect stone. This is worthless"
II have not noticed any blemish in
1t. Let me take 1t moment"
mo; 1t was given you as a token. a
seal to contract That contract Is
broken by It's return. You have no
more interest in 1t than you have In a
glass marble"
II may have some curiosity. mayn't
II"
IAN you like"
Then let me see the ring. wish
to know If the man have been en-
gagged to had the effrontery, the mean
ness, to palm off on me stone with
flaw in it,
what has been In the case Of
broken engagement concerns no one.
1t belongs to dead past. By your
returning the ring you annulied your
interest in my past and my future. 1t
doesn't make any difference to you
whether there is flaw in 1t or not"
Perhaps you will condescend to tell
me what you propose to do In the
case"
"Of tho ring" ',34sss1a
"Yes."
II shall take 1t back to the man OF
whom bought 1t and ask him for al
other, perfect stone; that | shall
have set according to Sues taste and
give 1t to her,"
This was very mean Of him. She
remembered the day he had given her
the ring; how beautiful the rainbow
colors that sparkled from it: her thrill
Of Joy at possessing it not only for IT.
self. but for what 1t represented.
"Shce gave 1t to YOU" he went on
brutally, 1--WE taken in az hundred dol.
lars l don't know what to do with.
I'll add that to the price and get
handsomer stone"
do you still care enough about me
to grant me one favorY
Il will grant you any favor you ask"
"Then don't give the ring to Sue"
"Why not2"
Il always liked Sue. know sis
ters-tn-law don't often agree. but | be-
lieve Sue and / would. This changes
all that"
"Well, supposing I don't give 1t to
her. who would you prefer should
have itT'
There was no answer to this.
II don't see why you should feel en-.
nifty to Sue for merely predicting that
you would get huffy. You have got
huGy. haven't you?"
"And what girl wouldn't get huffy
at being treated so brutally?"
"How brutality"
swell, for one thing, Of course. you
know. didn't you say looked horrid
In that new hat bad taken so much
pains to hunt up and have trimmed?"
II said the hat was horrid. What
else?"
She thought moment. then said,
Il don't exactly remember the next
thing you said, but 1t was worse than
the first"
do you remember the next thing
you said?"
"Why. no. but I'm sure It wasn't
very.bad."
mot especially so. It was simply
that was bereft Of the slightest gen.
tlemanly instinct"
s'There was nothing in that"
Nothing whatever--a mere nat OF
q velvet paw"
There was silence for a few minutes.
when she said. "I've made up my mind
as to the person I would like to have
the ring"
"Well?"
II think would like It myself"
"What, with flaw in itr'
"Don't be silly; there's no Jaw In It."
SLOW do you knowT
Because I looked for one when you
gave II to me. DO you suppose a girl
is given an engagement ring without
making careful inspection OF it?'
II was not aware of that"
It was his turn to be astonished.
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