The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-05-13
ONLY A JOKE
BY MARTHA M. WILLIAMS,

John Andrew had shirked Anne's
she was so anxious.
Had a party-and then some-eh?"
he queried jauntily.
Il know l treated you badly, Anne.
Some day you shall know why had
to do it"
May I tell you right now?" Anne
asked, red spots flaming in her cheeks. !
Her readiness startled him.
81 wish to heaven you would tell
me-what you think it was" he an
swered
Il don't think-I know" she de-
clared. "Cowardice! You thought I'd
make a scene over Lima Loree! AS if
l cared! 1 begged her to announce
your engagement. When she wouldn't,
l all but did it myself"
Engagement! To whom am I en-
gagged he questioned amazedly
See here! Who says I'm engaged
to-anybody he demanded, his eyes
darkening.
Nobody. But Lima had on your
:ing-and paraded it constantly. When
told her I knew what it meant she
didn't deny"
q see!" John Andrew broke in
Say, Anne, we've grown up together
and you know me. Have I ever told
you a lie except about trifies or in a
good cause?"
"No-so please don't begin it now"
Anne returned looking down. 1T
would be as foolish as it would be
wicked to deny things-after you've
given-any girl--your mothers own
ring"
1T surely would" John Andrew re-
turned, his lips setting hard. Here
was an heirloom.
He had always been very careful Of
that ring. seldom wearing and still
more rarely letting it pass out of his
possession. Anne's touch of it had al
ways pleased him-her taper fingers
had seemed to caress the baubIe. She
could scarcely be mistaken in her as
sertion as to its present whereabouts,
but so far as he knew, the jewel was
safe within his strong box at home.
He had put it there. he told himself,
the morning he fed from Anne's house
party. Later. accusing memory re-
called to him that he had shown it 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 a strained little
n ch A ;,,4N
he held open. Take it. John, But
not for always 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. 1t 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 can't explain-not now-but if
if I bring my mothers ring, may put
it-where you know l have always
meant it to go?"
She shook her head slightly The
age OF miracles is past" she said re-
gretfully.
Il 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 a lit
tie smothered exclamation. 1t was not
empty, but as he lifted the shining
bauble within it and held it 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 dextrously
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 time-he must act instead
Longview! Fifty miles distant! He
could make it 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 brayado which
seemed to imply that she had nothing
to conceal-that she was willing to
meet him even little more than half