The log cabin Democrat., 1916-04-13
ONLY 4 JOKE Rv MARTHA M. WILLIAMS.
"You're a fine person.

she was so anXlOuS.
 Had a party-and then some-eh?" he queried jauntily.
 II know I treated you badly, Anne. Some dav YOU shall know why l had to do it."
 "Nav I tell you right now?" Anne asked, red spots flaming in her cheeks
 Her readiness startled him.
 q wish to heaven you would tell me-what you think it was,' he an- swered
 "I don't think-I know she de- clared. "Cowardice. You thought I'd make a scene over Lima Loree' As if 1 cared! l begged her to announce your engagement When she wouldn't. I all but did 1t myself.
 "Engagement To whom am l en- gagged he questioned amazedly.
 See here. Who says I'm engaged to-anybody?" he demanded, his eyes darksning.
 Nobody! But Lima had on your ring-and paraded 1t constantly. When I told her I knew what it meant she didn't deny"
 T see," John Andrew broke in. Say, Anne, we've grown up together and you know me. Have l ever told you lie except about trifies or in good cause?"
 "No-so please don't begin it now" Anne returned, looking down. Ut would be as foolish as 1t would be wicked to deny things-after you've given-any girl-your mothers own ring"
 Tt surely would!" John Andrew re- turned, his lips setting hard. Here indeed was a complication. The ring was an heirloom.
 He had always been very careful of that ring, seldom wearing and still more rarely letting 1t pass out of his possession. Anne's touch of 1t had al ways pleased him-her taper fingers had seemed to caress the bauble. She could scarcely be mistaken in her as- sertion as to it's present whereabouts. but so far as he knew, the jewel was
 
 He had put it there, he told himself. the morning he fled from Anne's house party. Later, accusing memory re- called to him that he had shown 1t to Lima Loree, over at the Farnhams.
 But she had certainly returned it to his keeping, there on the corner of the piazza, saying with strained little laugh as she dropped 1t into the case he held open. Take 1t, John. But not for always-I hope"
 Those last words, only whispered, had been John Andrews danger sig nal. He had managed somehow to laugh away their implication and had then taken refuge in a gallant good by and galloped briskly home.
 Now John Andrew. face to face with the problem of his life. dared not speak out It would be shameful to accuse a gentlewoman upon mere sus- picion. Rather than that, he must let Anne continue to misunderstood him. Looking straight into her indignant eyes, he said, unsteadily:
 'I cant explain-not now-but if- If bring my mothers ring, may put it-where you know I have always meant it to go?"
 She shook her head slightly The age of miracles Is past" she said re- gretfully.
 T am going to restore your faith in miracles-and in me-" he said. turn ing away without another word.
 
 AS the case sprung open in his hand John Andrew started back with lit tie smothered exclamation. It was not empty, but as he lifted the shining bauble within it and held 1t to the light, he laughed grimly.
 There was indeed a superficial like ness between the thing he held and the thing he sought. Instantly he re- called Lina's passion for the stage, her long experience in private theatricals, and realized that she had dextrousIy attempted to palm on him this bit of stage trumpery, and then had been in- discreet enough, or vain enough, 'or. possibly, crafty enough, to wear the jewel she had taken in exchange. Theft. he told himself must not have been the original impulse, but rather the opportunity to triumph even mo- mentarily over her rival.
 He wanted to swear at her, at him. self, at the whole world. But there was not tlme-he must act instead.
 Longview! Fifty miles distant! He could make 1t before nightfall with his speedy roadster.
 
 Lima appeared to be neither sur. prised nor abashed at his return. She met him with an air of bravado which seemed to imply that she had nothing to conceal-that she was willing to meet him even little more than half way.
 Without word, he took the clumsy substitute from the ring case and held 1t out to her.
 "Oh, see," she laughed knowingly. You have returned to Longview to