The bee. (Earlington, Ky.) 1889-19??, 1914-11-20
A DIAMOND
RING
BY M QUAD
Copyright. 1914. by Associated lit
erary Press

Information would have been received
as a base canard A bachelor OF that
age, who has drifted about with all
sorts of people and bumped up against
all sorts of adventures. Is pretty sure
to have had all romance knocked out
of him.
On a certain Tuesday ! took a train
at Elmer Junction for London. and as
there we're but few passengers | had
a compartment to myself. | had been
busy with newspaper for half an
hour when | noticed small package
lying under the opposite seat I found
It plain pasteboard box and was pre-
pared to find a specimen of free chew
ing gum or new brand of troches in.
side. II was something different. how
ever. 1t was a lady's diamond ring.
made up OF five stones OF the 'i,urest
water, and on the inside were the in
itials "B. r." The ring was double
hoop of gold and had probably been
made to order 1t was lying closely in
the box. and the box had once contain
ed steel pens. ! argued that II must
have been some careless person who
carried q valuable ring in that fashion.
I am only a fairly honest man. My
first idea was to keep the ring to my
own profit. but remembered that
was known to the railway porter and
that the property might be traced to
me.
If not strictly honest | am prudent.
and | therefore gave up the idea Of
converting the ring. would hold it
for a reward. however Half an hour
later felt a curious sensation stealing
over me. / began to feel sentimental
began TO connect that dear little ring
with dear little blond haired. blue
eyed girl. got up and kicked myself
three times and called myself a fool.
but the feeling did not go away. To
my establishment and Indignation |
found ii growing stronger. and before
knew it the grip OF romance had got
me by the neck.
was man of leisure, though had
no great amount of money to my cred
it. would hunt up the owner of that
ring. and II all things went well |
would marry her For a week watch
ed all the newspapers. but the ring
was not advertised. This seemed to
prove to me that the owner was either
rich and Indifferent to her loss or that
for some reason the loss had not yet
been discovered Romance made me
anxious, and I therefore went to the
expense OF advertising In i've different
papers. I simply stated that q dia-
mond ring had been found on a rail-
road train and asked the loser to cor
respond. + ~"
Inside of three days l received about
$50 letters In reply. The $50 writers
were takers and liars, and the true
loser had not answered me- was a
bit nettled at this neglect on her part
advertised again. This time ask
ed "B. p" to communicate with rle In
case she had lost anything. There
were Just 107 "B. p" answers. but
among them selected one which ap-
peared to be genuine This "B. r."
had lost double hoop diamond ring
containing Eve stones. It had been
/ A0ot vi talAIOaQ " ath ano "do u
birthday gift from a dead mother.
was asked to call at the chambers of
q certain solicitor to have the ring fur
Their identified. was on hand at thu
| appointed hour. So was stern face0
and aggressive looking householder. to-
gether with slick looking villain
whom l had once spotted for a detec-
tive and a young woman whose hair
was red instead of blond. The ring
was speedily identified by the stern
faced man and red headed girl. "B.
p" was Bertha Perkins. and her Ia
Their and her maid were before me.
Perkins was a country squire. and on
the night previous to my finding the
ring his daughters jewels had been
stolen. The hoop ring was part Of the
plumber.
or course was ready to hand over
the ring. but it wasn't to stop there.
The red headed maid was sure she
recognized me as the man who was
hanging about the grounds few hours
before the robbery. and that villain Of
a detective was only too glad to snap
the handouts on my wrists and hurry
me or to jail.
1t took me three days to prove my
self respectable and to establish an
alibi. They had to give me my liberty.
but. 1t was grudgingly done, and the
detective said he'd have an eye on me
all the rest OF my days. The romance
had departed when was locked up.
came out OF jail determined to secure
PREPARATION. Old Perkins had helped
the red headed girl to conclude thar
was the robber. and I went down TO
his country seat to receive an abject
apology or pull his nose. He not only
refused an apology, but threatened to
kick me or the grounds, and the red
headed girl declared ! had a cast In
my left eye. and by that cast she
would swear me In any court as a
man who would not stop at murder.
There was one more thing to be clear
ed up. wanted to ind out about
"B. p" herself. Was she the blond
haired. blue eyed girl OF my dreams.
and was she worthy OF my love?
had not long 10 wait | was walking
Il =