The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-07-26
lie Of a Lost
Engagement Ring
o. mA- HOLMES


Do you wish to be ostracised
YOUR friendsY'
sgular expression came over Miss
.oe's face, an expression that
h described, though some idea
nv be formed by an understand
vhat caused it.
/ thief. as you call him, is my
d Eance?"
re win be married next month
seouaint you with the story
Tup Ralph's being considered a
,fter which you WIN be able to
4 opinion Of my reasons for
,,ug a man so branded. You are
sster and have a right to know
~ may not all the world know
N YOU will understand when
AVE heard the story. When the
ans gave their house party the
i occurred which branded Ralph
thlef. You were not there; ] was.
,fternoon all the automobiles on
.hce we're got out, and the whole
was taken on a ride. wore a
astrakhan Jacket with a pocket
N side. OF course we were plen-
supplied with robes. When we
ned before taking or our wraps
Topham asked us into the din
nom to warm up as he expressed
We all gathered around the side
and were warming up when a
INT stepped up to ALI and handed
little box that had come by ex-
during his absence on the auto
We all knew that ALI had been
five to Evelyn Mansfield. and one
men very indelicately cried out:
hts the engagement ring. Let's
h ALI
n opened the box and took out a
set with a ruby between two dia-
Is 1t was passed from one to an
for inspection while the men con-
ID to warm up. We spent some
In or twenty minutes in the din
pom, and when we were about to
nate ALI sang out:
Ehos got my ringY'
ery one looked at every one else,
10 one produced the ring. For a
II was supposed that 1t would be
homing, but since it did not APP
Alf's brows began to knit. We
bined in search for 1t, on the
under the furniture. The ring
not found. The matter began to
serious. Had some one OF the
rs purloined it? ALT, being host.
course could not suggest such a
&, but his chum. Ned Thurston.
emily said:
offer myself to be searched, and
Aresay that all of you will volunteer
the same thing"
Nerybody volunteered except Ralph.
said that he must demur to such q
tess. We were all supposed to be
es and gentlemen, and it would be
Insult to each and every one of us
Rarch us.
took the party some time to diges
1t he had said, but the prevailing
mon was against it. ALT settled tn
=iter by saying that he would rathe
i the ring than put an indignity Oh
n guest Of his and forbade tn
&rch. Nearly every one CONSIDERS
bh's objection a virtual admission
guilt 1t was believed that he ha'
ZEN the ring, not foreseelng that b
*nld SO soon be caught with it on hi
son, and was obliged to choose bt
zen the course he took and full ez
sure. He did not wait to receive tn
4 shoulder. but left during the aftel
|m.
me blow fell as hard on me as
on him. I had received nearly a
I attention while at the Tophami
= the announcement Of our engage
Pnt was expected before the part
ne up. l didn't know what to d
say In the matter, so I took 4
urse whatever, declining to expires
opinion. But 1t was not pleasaI
me to remain after what had o.
med, and l made an excuse to 9
Asy the next day. They were a
nice to me. urging me to stay
soon after my arrival at home
called to the telephone. and Ralp
eke to me.
Have you found ALI Topham
20 he asked.
nave found a ring7 Do yc
"a to accuse me Of being the thief
Look In the pocket of the jack
wore on the auto ride. haN
q you had found It. God graz
thereP
] was thunderstruck. On enteriI
dining room after the ride n
net being too warm for the heatc
% had taken 1t on and laid it
mar in a corner OF the room. TIE
Ralph to hold the wire, / ran
aOset In my room. thrust my har
NE pocket of my astrakhan Jack
took out the ring.
summing back to the phone, to
pn what | had done. He begg'
not to utter a word to any OF
sut nnding the ring till ! saw hil
would come right over.
and now, Belle, l shall tell "
the ring got into my pocket on