The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1914-07-17

E.
well, do as you please, Paula; but,
as this is Ewes first visit to Egypt, l
am going to take her out to see the
Sphinx and the pyramids"
Paula smiled tolerantly on her
cousin. Eve Raymond was enthusiast
tic and quite unsophisticated in spite
Of her twenty years.
When the morning came and Eve
Raymond and her guardian aunt had
departed in carriage for the pyra-
mids, Paula went out on the terrace
and looked at the passing crowds.
A sweet-faced, elderly lady walking
on the hotel terrace caught a glimpse
of Paula's beautiful profile and came
up to her chair.
1T really is Paula Whiton!" cried
the newcomer cordially.
Paula jumped up and held out both
hands. Dear Mrs. Long! I am so
glad to see you! This is the most
charming surprise-tell me. when did
you conner"
Mrs. Long sat down besides Paula's
chair and told the smiling girl that
they had arrived the night before from
a trip to Luxor.
You know Jack is an inveterate
relic hunter, and despite the fact that
he did not arrive until late last eve
ming he is off this morning to the pyra-
mids-what he expects to find there in
that thoroughly narrowed field, / can't
imagined"
Paula bit her lips. 1t was vexatious
indeed when she had remained at
home in the hope of meeting Jack
Long, to discover that he, too, had
gone to that hackneyed spot which
Eve had been chattering about for
several weeks.
"Oh, Aunt Felice, look at the darling
bracelets!" cried Eve enthusiastically
after she had exhausted her delight in
the wonders of the plain of Gizeh.
Mrs. Wilton looked indulgently at
the dark-skinned Arab who was Of
fering his tray of bizarre jewelry to
her niece.
1.-The ring of the Princess Bedr-her
bring fortune to one who wears IT,
urged the peddler eagerly. Love
comes to one who possesses the ring
as love come to the most beautiful of
Egyptian princesses; twas found
buried in sand at the feet of the
Sphinx"
AS they visited other points of in
terest, Eve thought again of the ring
of the Princess Bedr and Of the charm
it was said to hold for the unloved.
1T might be true, after all. Who
knows?" she argued to herself, SO, OF
their way back to Cairo, when they
passed the Whitehead peddler with
his tray of ornaments, Eve stopped the
carriage and dismounting, ran after
the man.
To her dismay, just as she reached
Ahmed, another person hurried breath
lessly up to the peddler.
II want the ring of the Princess
Bedr!" cried Eve impulsively, and as
the newcomer drew back out of hear
ing she brought forth her purse and
paid the price demanded by Ahmed.
Eve showed the ring of the Princess
Bedr to Mrs. Wilton and made her
promise not to tell Paula the magic Of
It.
That evening Eve Raymond was in
troduced to Jack Long on the terrace
at Shepherds hotel. In FIVE minutes
Jack found himself telling Eve all
about his collection of Egyptian an
tiquities.
"Of course know half the junk is
faked,"'he admitted naively; but it's
rather fun, you know, to fancy it's all
right and to dream dreams about the
people of those other days-don't you
think so?"
Eve nodded. II understand; I sup
pose that is why bought the ring Of
the Princess Bedf," she confessed.
THE ring of the Princess Bedr2' he
echoed.
I knew it couldn't be genuine-but I
liked to imagine it. might bel" Eve
held out her left hand and displayed
the ring of the Princess Bedr on the
third finger. The orange eyes glowed
duly. y
Jack Long laughed indulgently. He
held out his own left hand and there
on the little finger was the duplicate
of Ewes ring. i.
Il also fell a victim to the charms
of Princess Bedr's ring"
"Oh!" cried Eve; and there was dis
appointment In her tone.
do you really care whether the
ring of the Princess Bedr ever be
longed to that departed lady or not?"
mot q Bit" agreed Eve quickly;
ats dear ring, though, and shall
always wear it, like the orange eyes
and there may be virtue in It,"
II am sure there is," agreed Long
quietly. For my part ] shall always
have faith In the magic properties of
the ring of Princess Bedr-perhaps
some day, you will permit me to tell
you why"
fCopvrfsht 1914 by the Mcclure Newspa-