Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-04-10

"HowT
"Never mind that: tell me-"
Molly began to draw back within
herself. There was something In both
the question and Joel's manner IN ask
ing it, seeming to indicate that she
was herself involved in this investiga-
ton.
There was some one here the even
ing before the ring was lost, but I'd
rather not tell you who he was because
think you'd better not know. 1t
might make you feel uncomfortable"
You'll have to tell me: might as
well out with 1t first as last"
Sam Turner"
The expression that passed over
Joel's face was not a pleasant one.
Sam Turner had been his rival, rival
he feared, for Turner was very much
respected and had been the choice OF
Molly's parents for their daughter 1t
occurred to Joel that this visit of Tur-
ner's had something to do with the
mystery Of the ring. Perhaps he had
taken 1t away with him and Molly had
invented the story of its disappearance
till she could get it back. Perhaps
there were q number of other perhapes
equally farfetched-but to one bitten
by the serpent OF jealousy very palpa-
BILE. Joel's manner became quite cool.
'What does all this mean?' asked
Molly. didn't l tell you when 1
made my choice between you and Sam
that It was irrevocable-at least II
you're not going to cause me to think
I've made a mistake. He came to wish
me happiness in my engagement, and,
though it was evident he suffered, he
said not one word in complaint at my
having declined him for you"
Joel rose. he said nothing till he
reached the door, then told Molly that
he would think the matter over and
let her know. What he was to think
over he did not explain. Molly kept
her eyes fixed on him till he had with
drawn, but spoke not a word. She had
looked upon Joel Armstrong as one
with too noble a nature thus to accuse
her within a few weeks of their en-
gagement. This was a surprise and
shock to her.
The next morning Joel received q
note from Molly breaking their en-
! gagement- The shock was now with
him, though he was no better salts
fed that there was not something IN
derhanded which he could not under
stand. He made no reply to the note.
He did what a man usually does in
such cases-he sulked.
The next thing he heard was that
Molly had gone away on a visit. He
was beginning to find by this time that
he had overrated his ability to get on
without her, even though she might
have deceived him. His farm duties
were light, for the planting was fin
ished, and there was little to do but
wait for the first reaping. So he sat
In the barn when idle and thought
about Molly. Sometimes it would sud-
denly come over him that all this rou-
BILE as to the loss of the ring was non
sense; that it had been really lost and
there had been nothing to cover up
But this view Of the case would not
last long. Besides, If Molly had really
loved him she would have shown more
distress at his suspicion Of her. 1t
did not occur to him that the more
sensitive she was to her honor the
more indignant she would be at being
falsely accused.
One day while he was in the store he
heard two men talking.
THAT was QUAR- up to Ashurst's yis-
tedy, want it?" said one.
What was it?'
"Why. they got pet daw up there.
They've been missin' things for long
while and didn't know where they
went to. Mrs. Ashurst saw the daw
fly into a winder, light on a bureau,
pick up a tortoise shell comb and fly
away with it to the cote. Ashurst he
climbed the post on which the cote sets
and pulled out hull lot O. things.
Among others was ring that disap-
peared some time ago"
Joel waited to hear no more. He
staggered out of the store and walked
as fast as his legs would carry him to
the Ashurst farm. Mrs. Ashurst saw
him coming and inferred his errand.
She met him in the doorway.
where's Nary" he asked.
Away. She hasn't come home yet"
when Will she conner
Don't know"
"Will you give me her address,
She wrote 1t on a bit of paper and
handed IL to him. AS he took 1t Mrs.
Ashurst noticed his hand trembled
Joel wrote penitent letter. Inclined
to extremes. he had as little hope OF
forgiveness as he had had doubt that
there was something undetermined 60
, ing on. He calculated exactly by what
mail be would receive u reply and was
at the postoffice with n wildly beating
heart to receive it. He was doomed u
disappointment. No reply came
It was now reaping time. and he
went to work cutting the wheat Sud
denly he saw Molly coming from the
house and making straight toward him
, Just as she had done the day she lost
her ring He got down from his seat
; and FASTENED through the grain to meet
her She suffered him to take her II
, his arms. The episode was over.
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