Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-25


'But-but you look as tbo,-,
scarcely believed me-" pers,.sss ~
nervously. ''Of course I kno.. ~
some one must have entered nv e.
and stolen the ring from my ipr.. -, 9
but you must understand ~.
entire transaction appeared as 4 A..
to me and nothing moreg'
"Of course I never doubt =.
word" said the man, with ru,.,:.
smile. But, mademoiselle. ror
derstand that as the black ons,
gagement ring has vanished -
betrothal is dissolvedr' Win
bow he vanished from the room !,
ing Ina heartbroken over his co.,
ly insinuations.
Ina's father instituted a e,o..
quiry into the matter Of the vsnI..-,
open ring, and, unknown to the rrl
consulted Robert Delmore, WIN n,
long been a friend Of the famlly. D.
ert had long loved Ina and waptsd !.
marry her. but the girls ambitiou. =
ture had chafed against his slow y,
ing. and she had accepted the ma.
brilliant Craveth, whose courtsbin ~
been as brilliant as it was brief
Both Mr.. Standish and Delrs..
agreed that it would be an easy m,l
ter for a thief to steal the ring I'm.
Ina's finger, for her BED was dr,,,
close to an open window, which. 4.
though heavily barred. was alr,u
open at night. 1t would have ba,,
easy for an interloper to have sOaI
on the little balcony outside the win.
dow. thrust his arms between II.
iron bars. taken Ina's hand and remor.
ed the ring.
They decided that that had been Il,
course pursued. for they found mud,
footprints on the floor of the balloon
and deep indentations on the fosg
beds beneath, where some one bal
jumped to the ground.
A few days afterward Ina sat Hs.
iessly regarding the advertisements n
the daily newspaper. Suddenly a 4,
miliar name caught her eye:
s LOsT-Stolen from the residence Of A.
thony Craveth of Sydney, Australia va |
liable ring set with large black opal sa. |
rounded by diamonds. Large reward art |
no questions asked for information CO. I
corning jewel. Address
MESSRS. LINN & HoDDT.
Counselors, Wharf Street. Sydney !
How strange cried Ina. "why.
the ring was stolen from my hand
What does Anthony mean? Has The
loss of the ring driven him out OF bis +
senses?"
She put all these questions to her
father, who confessed himself bevE. !
dered. In turn he showed the clipping
to Robert Delmore.
I'll take this home with me and }
study it out said Delmore gravey /
and his first visit was to the nearest B
cable Office, where he sent of long
TO Linn & Hoddy at SydDey +
While he waited for reply he made +
what investigations he could concern
ing Anthony Craveth and his family 4
history.
To his surprise. he found that the
only Anthony Craveth who was known
to be living was n native Of Australia
and had never visited America. The
New York Craveths repudiated any
with the man who had
himself to Ina Standlsh.
Inquiry at Craveth's hotel reveaa
he fact that the man had paid Dis
,iII and departed four days beiae
10 one knew where he was or ne
'eason for his sudden departure. ROB- !,
.rt Delmore asked permission 10 e.
anime the rooms he had vacated, and
here he found pair of mud stained
shoes which proved to fit exactly tne
footprints around the Standisn resi-
lence.
Two days after he sent the caoie
Message TO Sydney Robert Deimefs
allied upon Ina Standish and her H.
her.
AT last | have uncovered the my
cry surrounding the disappearance
he black opal ring" he said gra'ep
and must say, Ina, that the TIE
ertainly brought i'll luck to you
Fell as 70 its real owner
Its real owner" echoed the glll
Didn't it belong to Anthony craven
fter all:"
Yes, it belonged TO him safe enough
nd the tradition concerning II was "
hentic, but it happens that the hiaa
on knew as Anthony Craveth was ~
hat gentleman at all. but THIEF We
tole the ring from CrGveths nome y
australia. The real Anthony era's''
married and hnS family.
Ina shuddered. Il was afraid Of j.
he sobbed. But it served me rlsnl'
cling such an ambitious wrenn-
idn't really care for Cravcth. ana
Delmore's arms went around ner'
now you didn't, Ina. l knew wv
we'd only one man in the word. az
you had waited another day
ould have asked you. But
ght now. and I'm sorry. dear "a
raveth's black opal brought you s''
luck
"In luckr' cried Ina. with sh'n'-
res. as she drew away and looseo
IN adoringly. ITO find out my -
Ike, TO be prevented from mahns
retime blunder. TO find out tina.
We newly. Robert that's the W
elk in the world,'
$50 the black opal brought Us
ok after ALL" laughed Dclnore "
.rly.
I