The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-06-03
The Eue11ing Story
Whose Hand?
(By Vane Tremaine. }


the morning paper. All around him
were other men and women press
ing closely as the train bored swiftly
through the underground passage.
| There were the sound of rustling
newspapers and the smell of rubber
raincoats, for outside it was dripping
dismaHy.
At Thirty fourth street, when the
car was numerically packed, Jack
felt tug at the pocket of his loose
storm coat. His hand slipped down
swiftly and closed on another hand, a
soft, satiny little hand, that struggled
in his for a moment and then freed
itself. leaving something metallic in
his grasp.
Another man, tall like himself,
talking to a girl standing by him
whose face Jack could not see.
Jack smiled grimly as he thought
how chagrined would be the pick
pocket when he-or she-realized
that instead of lifting a purse from
his pocket the attempt had only re-
suited in leaving a clew in his hands.
The train was slowing down at his
station and he wormed his way out
to the street, his unseen booty clasped
in his hand.
He did not once look at it until he
had reached his office and opened his
desk.
Then, with an odd sense of curios-
ity, he opened his clenched hand and
looked at the ring which he had
slipped from the intruding hand in his
pocket.
1t was we'll worth looking at, too
a woman's ring, a magnificent emer-
aid, surrounded by bri1liants.
Good heavens" gasped Jack. star
ing at the valuable jewel What have
I done?"
Cool reflection told him that pos
sibly he had been made receptacle
for stolen goods by a thief.
Perhaps, he reflected, some one had
stolen it, and closely tracked, had
dropped it into his pocket. But it had
not been dropped. The intruding
hand had torn away from his grasp,
leaving the emerald ring there.
What was the hand doing in his
pocket, anyway?
He locked the ring in his safe and
proceeded with the business of the
day. Every morning he kept close
the loss was advertised. But he found
no hint of it.
Occasionally there came the recol-
lection of that satiny little hand
crush of the car where all were
wedged tightly like sheep in a pen.
And the touch of that strange hand
thrilled him persistently.
Jack Bronson was in love- If any
one person was responsible for this
fact it might be his sister, Fanny.
who had invited him down to spend
the weekend, and there introduced
him to Alice Selden.
Miss Selden was a wonderful girl,
Jack had discovered almost imme-
diately. She was the only girl he had
ever met whom he could really pic
ture as his wife.
They got on together remarkably
well, too. They enjoyed the same
sports, the same books, the same pic
tures-practically the same every
thing.
You never wear any rings" he
said as they sat together on the
beach.
Alice looked down at her little tan
ned fingers and shook her dainty
head.
II used to wear-one," she said
rather pensively.
"Which-which finger?''
He felt an amazing sense of relief
when she told him she wore it on
the little finger of her right hand.
1T was a darling ring" she said
regretfully, land to punish myself for
losing it 1 have vowed not to wear an
other until 1 find it,
Not any ring at ALL" quavered
Jack, who had been dreaming of plac-
ing an engagement ring on her pretty
hand.
No" she said firmly, and her
cheeks flushed. Il love rings, too
You lost it?" hazarded Jack.
1T was stolen
I'm something of a detective,' he
said. Suppose 1 try to help you re-
cover your ring.
You are very kind she MUIR |
INJURED politely.
Il want to free you from your
rash vow. 1 want to make it possible
for you to indulge in at least one |
ring" he said earnestly.
Alice blushed again, for there was /
no mistaking his meaning.
"I might begin with the pawn |
shops he said. What sort of ring /
was it %
"A cluster ring, an emerald sur
rounded by diamonds. Father gave |
it to me on my last birthday
Jack started violently. An emerald |
cluster ring.
The house was robbed?' he ques-
toned.
mo. 1 lost it in the subway. 1t !
wassrather an odd affair-if you don't |
mind, Ia rather not talk about it any
more''
Then she proceeded to change the |
subject.
When Jack was once more alone !
he gave himself up to what he meant |
He had torn a ring from a hand /
which had invaded his pocket in the |
subway-an emerald and diamond |
ring. 1t had all happened so quick |
ly-all in a breath-that when he |
turned to survey which of his neigh |
bors was the guilty one none had ap- |
peared unduly agitated. |
Now here was Alice ySelden, the girl !
of girls for him, telling him that she |
had lost an emerald cluster ring in the |
subway under painful circumstances.
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