The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1913-01-23
THE ROSE
THE RING
By Cseges bsyv ArC.eeLeos


messenger was sent post haste to the
village hard by with instructions to
find Dick.
The messenger returned with word
that no one hitting the description had
been seen there.
But he must be there" said the
young master.
Vas. sab, I" agreed the darky. not for
q moment questioning the assertion
that fell from his masters lips. II
"Marse David" said he was there. he
vas there-that 10 all there could be to
1t. He suttinly mus be thah. sab.
But ! specs he mussa fo'got TO tell
anybody hit. sab"
Ask JET to call me early In the
morning. Pete" said David. Good
night"
Good night. Marse David"
The boy went out, gently closing the
door behind him. Almost instantly It
was reopensd.
What now. Pete?" demanded Dav-
Id, who. with his back to the door.
was advancing to the mahogany bu.
reau across the room. He came in
line with the tall mirror that sur
mounted the chest Of drawers. His
fingers stopped suddenly in the light
task Of removing pin from his scarf
Just inside the door stood Artful
Dick Cronk. genial smile rejecting
itself In the mirror which confronted
the other David stared unbelievingly
for few seconds and then whirled to
face the-but It was not an appari-
ton.
The lean. cunning visage Of the
ptckpocket was Illuminated by the
never to be forgotten smile Of guile
lessness that 10 ably stood him in
hand in moments Of peril. He was
attired in one Of David's loose dress
ing gowns. He wore a pair of COM
Portable slippers. and he smoked Do
vid's picturesque Algerian pipe. You
might have taken him to be the own.
er of the house.
What are you doing In my room!"
Dick demanded. assuming an air Of
severity.
DAvid's astonishment gave way to Q
hearty laugh. He advanced with his
hand extended.
We'll. you do beat the world" he
exclaimed. In the name Of heaven.
where did you come from?"
They shook hands. Dicks spright.
ly face presented . myriad Of joyous
wrinkles.
Where did 1 come from. Kid
should say. Mr.. Jenison? l."
Call me David" interrupted the
other.
Sure! Come from! Take . seat
kid. You are my guest for the eve.
ming. Make yourself at home. I've got
. couple Of toddies planted here be.
hind the dresser. You see. l was ex.
pectin' you" He went over and.
reaching down behind the bureau.
came up with two toddy glasses in
which the ice clinked cheerily. Il
made en- just before you came In.
he explained.
do you mean to tell me that you
were in this room all the time l sat
over there waiting"
Dick put his fingers to his lips.
"Sh! Not 20 loud. please. I'm not
really supposed to be here. you know. !"
He was sitting now. with his long
legs crossed. leaning laxily back in
the lounging chair at the end of Da.
vid's desk.
I've been here two days and two
nights. right here in the house My
bedchamber is down the hall there,
and this has been my lounging room.
OF course l had my meals in the din.
ing room-my after theater suppers,
you might say. The servants couldn't
account for the disappearance of pies
and cakes and Sally Lunn-say. how
do love Sally Lunn And jam, too To
say nothin' Of fried chicken. I've
been living like . prince, kid. You'd
have been very much entertained half
an hour ago II you could have seen me
swipe . Washington pie and q quart
Of milk right out from under the nose
Of old Aunt Fanny. Milk 10 my fa-
vorite beverage. David You notice
I'm not drinking this firewater."
David's patience gave out. What
does 1t all mean, Dick! l must know
at once. 1t must be important or you
wouldn't"
Maybe it's important and maybe
it amt" philosophical Dick.
tom Braddock's out Of Sing Sing. =
Sing Sing! The penitentiary?"
The sure enough cooler. He's
been there for nearly three years"
"Christine's father convict!"
groaned David.
As I said before. he's out 1t may
interest you to know that l spent a
years vacation up there in '7s. Brad
came in shortly after l got settled. It
was two months before we managed
to speak to one another. After that
we corresponded quite reg'lar. had
notes from him and he from me.
soon got on to Brad's troubles Seems