The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-12-11

iSOOH as lie SdW lHe DP I)OSkPteu II. MY
curiosity Icing aroused proceeded TO
knuckle him.
''Knuekle himf"
Precisely" Freddy went on "a
schoolboy trick. Hurts like thunder.
1 Old Torquemada knew his business,
| Oakley, for it wasn't five minutes be-
fore | had ii ont of my worthy young
I friend, and there you see it
/ How did Taylor get hold of it," ask
( ed Oakley.
More l;nuekllng made him tell" said
FREDDY. he confessed that last night
! he attended the Benvenuto Cellini cir
Gle having made his peace with Gin
hOuliac. OF course he noticed Mary
wearing the ring, and when SHE went
into the anteroom TO wash her hands
ami returned without 1t he concluded
that she must have left it OH the lava
tory. That's precisely what she had
done, as lie found out acknowledgement
there yon are. Lucky came in Just
when / did,
And where is Taylor now
I've fired him. said Freddy I've
meant to TO it every day for the past
three weeks, but I've always forgotten
about it until today
why on earth didn't You have him
arrested:"
Z whats the use;' Freddy yawned.
we have the ring, and now let us so
ana take ii back to Mary"
~.
The Oakleys dwelt in an English
! basement residence on N'eGt End ave
nue.. one glance III the white loaded
fanllght Of the colonial front door and
the curtained elegance OF the upper
windows established the Oakley re-
spectabilify as irlly as did the family
Bible and the Social Register be-
meath the Big mahogany table IN the
library. 1t was TO this chamber that
Freddy had been ushered by Oakley
on their arrival.
Light up while 20 and find Mary"
he said. ana started for the door.
Hardly had he reached IL. however.
when from the lower floor came cry,
half Of rage, half of hysteria, which
Mt once halted Oakley ana brought
Freddy to his feet.
Nov. what IN the world is that?"
Oakley calculated.
Another wall arose. and then follow
ed the words:
You lost eet, you lost Get"
"Clnhouliac. Freddy whispered
Hes got en- badr'
"Ah. no. no. no. nor re-echoed
through the house.
"By George. be has Duse and Bern
hardt simply skinned to deathr' Fred
dy chuckled.
Give me the ring. Freddy Oakley
said Il think I'll 20 downstairs and
kick him out
Mingled with Nary's soothing con
tralto ana Ginhouliacs shrill hysteria
came en- expostulatory growl
"Confoand il. sir, you're behaving
Ike fGol!' II said.
1.-THE governor Oakley exclaimed.
When ] was n Kid he always said
'Confownd it, sir Just before he whal-
ell the life out OF me. Exerticns bad
for him. toe. | guess I'll 20 down"
He took the stairs four at n jump,
while Freddy went back TO the library
and closed the door behind him. For
ten minutes the mufIled sound OF voices
came in faint waves from he ground
floor, until a decisive bang of the front
door brought the conference to close.
Freddy had been standing by the IL
brary window. gazing idly into the
street. ana he saw Ginhouliac leave the
house. For one brief moment the en-
RACED Itaian stood muttering on the
curb. Between his thumb and finger
he held the ring. which Glttered and
flashed in the afternoon sunlight: then.
raising his hand above his head, he
lung it far into the roadway.
AS Freddy turned from the window
Oakley entered.
Sorry to have kept you waiting"
he said. but we've had the dickens OF
row downstairs"
Only lovers quarrel hope?"
Freddy suggested
"A very violent one" Oakley replied
THE fact is. when Mary said she didn't
think his ring was valuable enough 10
make all that fuss about, Ginhoulisc
grew rabid and actually swore at her.
He apologiged Immediately and SAID
he thought she was calling his price
less old heirloom valucless gift AIT
er that. OF course. Mary refused to
have anything more to do with him,
and when ] gave her the ring she in.
sisted on his taking the precious
thing"
WAS he glad TO get it backf" Fred
dy asked.
He must have been Oakley replied.
"rhc governor says that when be
heard 1t was lost he acted like man
scared out Of his wits Apparently he
valued it yeryJhighly."
Nevertheless / don't think he did"
Freddy rcjoiued.
How do yoa KNOW said Oakley.
Because | was standing By the win
dow rs he went out, au1 | saw him
throw the ring into the street"
"Impossble' Oakley calculated.
A few minutes later the two young
men, aided by the servants and half
the small boys OF the ncighborhood, |
warn inlfuo Ia ti,o l,sct cf Vast EnI