The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-10-12

she was explaining to Kingston as
they walked thither, side by side.
In the plays last act, the hsrotna,
cast Off by the man she loved, was
supposed to kill herself by sucking
poison from an antique ring she
wore. 1t was a gruesome, but enec-
tive bit OF stagecraft. And 1t had to
do with Evelyn's visit to tho jewelry
shop.
You see," she was saying to Bruce,
the property man has dug up q ring
for me that would be an insult to the
intelligence of a blind kindergarten
child. 1t looks nc o like an
antique poison-ring than l look like
Julia Marlowe. ! hate it,"
THE audience won't know the diff
ference" Bruce assured her.
NO" she assented, but / will. How
can / throw myself into the spirit of
the thing when I'm wearing that tin
sci hoop? Now here is my great idea:
When l stepped at Ebling G Sons.
yesterday. to have my brooch mended,
I saw the most wonderful collection
OF antiques. And what do you sup
pose was among them? A genuine
poison-ring, dating from the Sixteenth
century! Think Of that! BY press
ing a bit OF the gold tracery around
the base of the stone-it's a topaz
the stone lifts on a hinge. Inside the
hollow under the topaz is a place for
the poison. And-here Is the queer
est part OF the whole story-the hol-
low In still full Of poison"
"But-Good Lord, sweetheart" he
objected, suppose you should touch
poison itself to your lips, by mistake!
Don't buy the gruesome thing. Please
DON'T"
But / want II SOL" she pleaded.
And the upshot Of their brief argu-
ment was that Bruce not only bought
a wedding ring, but purchased for
her, also, the poisoning she GOV
eted.
AS they came out OF the shop a
man in the passing crowd halted in
amaze at sight Of them. He was ford
of face, gray of hair.
Long and bewildered he stared after
the happy couple. Then a strange
expression crept into his heavy fea-
lures, and slowly he moved IN.
1--WE a surprise for you" Evelyn
was saying, as she and Bruce turned
homeward. II had q letter from my
father yesterday. He is coming to
New York. He may get here today
or tomorrow"
How long did you say It is since
you've seen him." asked Bruce, to
whom his sweetheart had told little
about her family.
mot for nearly nine years" she re-
piled. "He came to the boarding
school for me just after my mother
died. He said he had lost all his
money in Wall street and that he'd
have to go West and start life all owe
again"
They were married, with but two
witnesses, early the following day, at
the Little Church Around the Cor
ner. After which they started in a
taxi to Bruce's bachelor rooms for
the little t~ete-a-tete wedding break
fast that Bruce's man was to have
ready for them on their arrival.
While Kingston's servant was set
ting the table for Bruce and the bride,
there was q ring at the apartments
front door. A slender, sad-faced wom-
an stood on the threshold as the ser
want answered tho summons.
rs Mr.. Kingston at homer" she
asked.
mo, madam" replied the man. 81
expect him back any minute, but"
II will come in and wait" she de-
cided.
As soon "A she was alone, the
woman rose quickly from her seat
and crossed the room to the mantel
where stood q large photograph in a
silver frame-a photograph Of Evelyn
Eden.
And thus Eunice Hilliard for the
first time in eight years looked at the
pictured face Of her little daughter,
Ardath.
Eunice was still gazing at the pic
ture, when she heard a key turn in
the outer door. She looked around,
breathless with eagerness, for q sight
OF Bruce. She saw him enter the
apartment with a wornan clinging to
his arm. The Of the photo
graph-her own little girl Of other
days.
"Welccre home, d>arest!" she
heard him say Is he stopped to kiss
his bride.
Eunice IN panic looked about for a
way Of escape. There was none she
would have time to reach unseen. She
slipped into q clothes closet that stood
directly behind her and softly closed
its door to q crack.
"There!" she heard Evelyn say In
mock anger. "Just see, sir, what you
did to ny hair, when you kissed me!
It's q wreck. Where can I TX IT."
IF you simply must waste perfectly
good time in hair dressing" he told
her, in the same vein, you can go
into my dressing room. where there's
q glass. It's right there"
She fed to repair the damage. And
Bruce. coming back into the living
room, confronted Eunice who had
stepped from the closet.