Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-27
WOMAN AND THE HOUSEHOLD
The Daily Story
No Questions Asked


his eyes before he had even opened the
paper. II was the description of the ring
which attracted him. Also, the engraved
initials were given as a means of identih-
cation, X. O. to a. 5.
Ripley read the personal over again,
after he had given the waiter his order
for breakfast
Lost. A ring Seven diamonds sur
rounding ruby heart. Initials X. q, TO
A. S. Return to o. Gramercy Square,
Liberal reward, and no questions asked"
There could be no mistake. The ad-
dress was Audrey's the initials he had
had engraved himself, and the ring had
been their engagement ring
A ruby heart surrounded by seven dla-
monds. 1t had been n fancy OF his own.
The ruby was her birthstone The dia-
| monds were the sacred number of tho
| ancients, seven
He remembered the last day, tho day
| when she had broken their engagement.
| They had been in the music room over.
looking tho little park on the square.
! The lilac hedge was green with bursting
| buds, and though the ground was brown
and windswept, crocus cups rose in dainty
rows In all tho bare flower beds. and
| there was a Tutoring Of nesting birds In
every bush and tree.
The breakfast lay before him untasted.
! As he gazed ont at Broadway from the
| laCe-draped window. the paper still In
/
! standing tall and slim and girlish In the
| deep bay windows that day
! She was sorry-it was wrong-it was
| entirely her fault-but he must have
known she did not love him-not that way.
| They had been thrown at each others
| hearts by kindly intentioned relatives.
! He had been her brothers college chum,
! and even before she left school he had
been the one man she had seen and known
intimately. It had been only natural that
| she should like him best, And she did,
| best of all She turned to him suddenly
| from the window with pleading, regretful
| eyes. There was no one else. Life was
so long, Only real love could make II
seem all too short. And she did not love
! any one
! It had been simple, cruelty simple, and
! unanswerable Yet he had loved her all
| the more for 1t. Another girl would not
! have missed love in the longest life as
| Mrs. Iipley Gerard with the prospect
| of million or so at her disposal.
| She had worn yellow. he had remem-
bered, crepe silk morning gown. and in
| her hands were the yellow crocuses he
her, but had merely asked her to keep
! his ring.
1T would only signify pain to me-" he
| had told her, because I have lost you,
| but to you there will be no pain, only re-
I membrance of one whom you liked"
| And she had kept It. lie had caught the
| gleam of its diamonds on her hand when
| he loft her, standing in the golden spring
| sunlight, her face bent over the cro-
| cuses.
| The waiter moved the cooled dishes to-
ward him invitIngly and he made an effort
to eat. When he left the restaurant the
personal reposed safely in his note case.
! q torn slip of paper that bridged the
| empty months between two sprngtmes
The following week Ripley Gerard.
millionaire, prince OF good fellows in the
upper town, took UP the role of private
| detective In the lower town. the town as
| 1t lies on the sunrise side of the Bowery,
| His methods were not sleuthlike. They
savored of the upper town, and consisted
briefly Of systematic canvas of all
pawnshops and O. request in each for a
ring with n ruby heart surrounded by
| seven diamonds.
The regularity with which the personal
appeared in the weekly papers encouraged
him. Particularly he liked to dwell on It's
last line; Liberal reward and no ques-
| tions asked"
| 1t was the beginning of the second
| week when he reached the end of his
| quest. Squeezed in between a quick
| lunchroom and a YiddIsh butcher shop on
| Hester street one day Ripley discovered
a pawnshop he had overlooked. 1t was a
one-counter affair. with n woman in at
| tendance. AS he asked his usual ques-
| tlon she eyed him curiousy and denied
| having seen the ring.
1T was a ring of betrothal," said Kip
ley with an easy courtesy that women
| loved in him. IT am to marry the lady.
| 1t is not question of money"
The woman hesitated, glancinG over her
| shoulder at the back of the shop. Kipley
| drew out n $50 gold certificate. She gave
| him swift glance and went to the safe.
| Two minutes later Kipley swung on a I'd
avenue car with the ring in his vest
| pocket. He never hesltated an instant,
but made his way uptown until he stood
| again in the little familiar square with
it's four rows Of aristocratlc old resi-
dences,
As he waited on the steps OF 81 he
noticed with a queer throb of remem-
brance the rows OF yellow crocuses
Frightening the baroness of the park. 1t
had been Just year ago.
Miss Searles was at home. The servant
was stranger, and Ripley merely told
him to say q person wished to see her
with reference to a personal in the
papers. He waited in the reception room.
and as she entered his back was toward
her. She came across the room eagerly.
you have brought my ring?"
He turned and held the ring up that
she might see 1t.
'T have brought it back"
"Kipley!" she cried. "Kipley how
could you have It? I lost it myself.
1t slipped off in my glove"
"You were wearing It thenf'
She flushed and heAitated under his
steady gaze.
How did you find it?" she asked.
Ripley referred to the personal in his
hand.
There were to be no questions asked"
he said. "And there is also mention OF a
liberal reward. The ring must be precious
to It's owner"
She caught her breath with half sob
bling cry and held out her hands to him,
Give 1t back to me, Kipley, 1 would
not have lost 1t for all the world"
"a liberal reward" Ripley repeated
"If you will give me my reward"
''Well?" She met his gaze with eyes
full OF entreaty and hurt dignity, "Of
course. II you wish TO retain it"
''Is the ring SO much more precious |
than the one who gave 1t. Audrsyf Can |
1t be more 10 you than ali the world, |
when you merely liked the giver7" He !
crossed to her side and laid one arm on |
the mantel back OF her. III you can say
TO me now Il love yOu,' and will let me |
place the ring back on your finger as II |
was at first, I will give 1t back. But II |
you cannot even now, Audrey
She lifted her face TO his lips slowly, |