The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-13
The HAND AND THE RING
BY vANE TREMAINE.

Jack Bronson gave up his seat and
chung to strap while he tried to
read the morning paper. All around
him we're other men and women press
ing closely as the train bored swiftly |
through the underground passage.
At Thirty-fourth street. when the
car was numerically packed, Jack felt |
q tug at the pocket of his loose storm |
coat. His hand slipped down swiftly |
and closed on another hand, 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, |
pressed closely He was bending down
talking to a girl standing by him
whose face Jack could not see.
Jack smiled grimly. 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 1t until he
had reached his office and opened his
desk
Then, with an odd sense of curios-
| ity. he opened his clcnched hand and
| looked at the ring which he had slip
ped from the intruding hand in his
! pocket
1t was we'll worth looking at, too
woman's ring, magnificent emer-
aid, surrounded by brilliants.
Good heavens" gasped Jack. star
| ing at the valuable jewel. What have
| done?"
Cool reflection told him that pos
sibly he had been made receptacle
for stolen goods by thief.
He locked the ring in his safe and
proceeded with the business of the
day Every morning he kept close
watch of the daily papers to see If
the loss was advertised But he found
no hint of it.
Occasionally there came the recol-
lection of that satiny little hand which
had struggled with his in the crush If
the car where all were wedged tightly
like sheep in pen. And the touch
Of that strange hand thrilled him per-
sistently.
|
Jack Bronson was in love- If any
one person was responsible for this
fact 1t might be his sister, Fanny, who
had invited him down to spend the
weekend and there introduced him
to Alice Selden.
Miss Selden was wonderful girl,
J Jack had discovered almost immediate.
ly. She was the only girl he had ever
met whom he could really picture as
his wife.
They got on together remarkably
we'll, too. They enjoyed the same
sports, the same books, the same pic.
unexpectedly the same every
thing.
You never wear any rings" he said
as they sat together on the beach.
, Alice looked down at her little
i. tanned fingers and shook her dainty
!. head.
+ Il used to wear-one," she said
r rather pensively. 1T was a darling
/ ring, and to punish myself for losing
I It I have vowed not to wear another
: until find It"
;, Not any ring at all7" quavered
D Jack, who had been dreaming of plac
ing an engagement ring on her pretty
: hand.
NO." she said firmly.
Il want to free you from your rash
vow. I want to make It possible fol
you to indulge in at least one ring,
n he said earnestly.
Alice blushed again, for there wal
no mistaking his meaning.
What sort of ring was it,"
}, "A cluster ring, an emerald sur
D rounded by diamonds. Father gave 4
J. to me on my last birthday. I lost 1
d in the subway. 1t was rather an ODD
r affair-if you don't mind, I'd rather
:. not talk about 1t any more"
r Then she proceeded to change TIL
t subject.
!. II want to speak to you" whispered
9 Jack as they met next morning in tn
il beach in half an hour. May l expec
q you?"
) She nodded assent and he passed
b on. When they met he told her o
, his love for her. and his utter inabili
Il ty to live without her.
When she, in turn. confessed tina
!. his swift wooing had won her heart
|. he would have slipped blazing soil
r, taire on her finger. but she drew he
a hand away hastily.
l. my vow, you know" she reminde
Z. him.
n CLOSE your eyes," he almost sharT
II ly commanded. When he saw she ha
IL obeyed him he took the emerald rim
i from his pocket and slipped it on tn
d little finger of her right hand.
8 At its touch Alice uttered a cry.
Is ITS mine, Jack-my ring" sh
If laughed.
h Now I can tell you. ] was wit
y my brother Arthur. The car wa
Al crowded and we we're standing. fel
faint and put my hand, as I though
into Arthur's pocket to get my littl
handbag. had slipped it in there 70
r safe-keeping. The pocket was empt
"a and I was just going to speak to Al
4 thur about 1t when your hand grippe
" mine. I managed to get my han
q. away, but my ring remained in you
q pocket.
# "Of course, l did not dare make
n fuss because you could face me an
a accuse me of having my hand in you
IA pocket, and SO ! let 1t go. It seem