Holbrook argus., 1912-03-05

owen turned her little electric motor Into the driveway leading to her old home
 She had not entered the house since her uncle's death, two vears before, and the sight of 1t brought back mem ories.
 '1-I-thought l had forgotten" she half sobbed. ss she mechanically brought the car to halt
 la a daze she ascended the front steps.
 How silly am." she thought. as she realized that her hand was reach ing for the doorknob. "Of course it's locked Nobody lives here.'
 She tried the knob. To her aston ishment it yielded to her touch.
 Well, I've got to go in and see that everything is all right" she decided. aroused from her gloomy thoughts. q suppose Cousin Ned forgot to fssten it when he came over after that book l wanted yesterday"
 Mary stepped across the threshold without the least sensation of fear. for she laid the unlocked door entire ly to the carelessuess of her young relative.
 The first room she entered was the large, low-ceilinged parlor. Once more sad memories overwhelmed her as she gazed about the familiar room with it's shrouded furniture, shuttered win dows and general air of neglect.
 It was here that her greatest hap piness and her bitterest sorrow had come to her For Albert Watson had proposed to her in this room, and 1t was here they had so quickly had their dreadful quarrel. That was two years before, and she had not seen or heard from him since.
 How paltry the object of their guar rel seemed to her now. She had giv- CD up her whole life's hope of happi- ness for mean little suspecion. And all because of diamond ring.
 Albert had produced the ring imme- diately after being accepted and there in lay the seed of the whole trouble.
 It had been a shock to Mary's pride to learn that he had been so sure of her that he had come to her pro vided with an engagement ring.
 This, however, had been quickly su- perseded by shock number two, when the ring proved to be too large.
 She had tried to think that this was because Albert had had no meas ure and had doubtless been unable to carry the correct size by eye, but this had not satisfied her.
 When she was alone she had ex- amined the ring and had found sev- eral tiny scratches upon the surface of the gold band, which proved to her mind that the ring had been worn.
 When Albert had next visited her she had asked him if the ring was an heirloom. He had replied with de cided negative, but his manner had been plainly embarrassed.
 The matter had dropped until she had overheard Florence Rogers, girl of her acquaintance, remark that Mary Owen needn't feel smart over her engagement to Albert Watson, for others might have had him if they'd wanted him."
 With sinking heart Mary had re- membered that at one time Albert had paid Florence considerable attention. Florence had worn a diamond ring, too.
 The suspicion that she had not been Albert's first choice had nearly brok- en Mary's heart.
 But I'll forgive him if hell only own up," she had told herself repeat edly during the long, sleepless night that passed before she had the chance to confront Albert with her charge.
 But Albert had stubbornly refused to explain matters.
 Mary had immediately removed her ring, and, overcome by childish an ger, had thrown 1t upon the floor, de- claring their engagement at an end, after which she had dramatically f1ounced out of the room.
 The following day Albert had come to her begging her to trust him and reconsider her nasty decision. When she had refused to do this, Albert had angrily demanded back his ring. Mary had twitted him with having already taken it, since she had been unable to find 1t after his departure the pre- vious day. while he charged her with purposely retaining it.
 They had parted in bitter anger.
 Business had taken Albert from the town. while Mary had gone abroad soon after her uncle's death.
 Suddenly Mary found herself look. ing down at the floor. Tt fell here by this table, but might have rolled in any direction" she said half aloud. "I never really thought Albert took it''
 She bent down and scanned the floor intently. Then she strengthened up with little laugh. How silly 1t was for her to expect to find that ring. There had been plenty, of people about before her uncle's death-and after-who might have picked it up. All at once Mary was startled by the sound of footsteps in the hall out