The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1917-01-25
The HEIRLOOM RING
BY ]. X. WARD.

WIG WIFI Ills love IOr AIuy bdker I'm.
declared. But the summons home was
imperative. "Your father Is seriously
Ill. Come at once" 1t said.
So on the afternoon Of Franks de.
parture from Linville Miss Baker re.
ceived by mail q letter and a regis.
tered package. Both were in the same
handwriting and after considering for
a moment she opened the letter first.
my dear little Amy" It began. 'The
sudden and serious illness Of my father
has called me away from Linville. For
reasons which / am Ire you must
guess, ! hate to 60, but the call Is ur.
gent, for my father has been until re.
Gently nearest to my heart. / am send.
ing by this mail my ring, a family heir.
loom. If the love which you must
know I feel for you is returned, will
you wear the ring until I q replace
It with another7 When I return, which
will be as speedily as possible, II I
find the ring on your hand I shall
know that my dearest hopes are to be
realized. Your devoted lover.
Frank"
Shyly and reverently Amy drew the
curious and valuable ring from its box.
For scarcely a moment did she consld.
er before slipping 1t on her finger. Ever
since Frank had arrived at the home
Of her friends, the Deans, to spend
the summer with his college chum
Geoffry, he had occupied first place In
her heart, and she had hoped that her
love vas reciprocated.
Into this perfect bliss came trouble
swift and unexpected. The blow fell
on a day when Harold. Amy's younger
brother, burst into her room with a
face on which horror and despair were
Jointly pictured.
It was the old story Of q young man,
tempted to gamble, borrowing" the
funds of the institution which employ.
ed and trusted him. until the small
populations could be no longer con.
cealed.
Amy listened. white faced, to the
piteous recital.
m will kill father and mother II You
are arrested for stealing" she said.
So Amy's few good jewels were tax.
en- from their hiding place, and Harold,
chastened and subdued, set out to
raise money on them to make good his
deficiency before 1t should be discov.
cred. But the most he could raise fell
far short Of the sum total he needed,
and, with despair at his heart, he
wendell his way back to where his sis.
ter tremblingly awaited him.
ats no use, little sister," he said.
II shall have to pay the penalty. I
can't get near enough on your little
trinkets"
Amy bowed her head on her hands
and as she did so her brow touched
the betrothal ring on her finger. For
only a second she hesitated. then
drawing the ring from her finger she
handed It to Harold.
stake It," she said. TT Is worth
great deal Of money"
Then bursting into tears she turned
away from Harold's grateful thanks
and sought refuge alone, where she
could weep out her heart at the loss
Of her treasure.
Frank returned unannounced to Lin.
Vile and went straight to Amys|
house. Lights shone from the win
dows, and as he drew neal he could
e Amy at the piano. Startled, he
gazed at her. One Of his closest rivals
vas bending over her in an attitude
Of devotion--and Franks ring was not
on her hand.
Seeing. but unseen, he decided that
his cause was hopeless, and went as
quietly as he had come.
Six months later Frank was called
to a city a short distance from Lin.
Vile. Seeking shelter from a sudden
shower In a pawnbroker's doorway, be
glanced carelessly at the window dis
play. To his unbounded astonishment
he saw his own ring.
He rushed into the shop and asked
to see the ring. His judicious ques
tioning brought out the fact that
young man had brought In the ring and
other jewelry. From his description
Frank had no doubt that Harold had
pawned the ring, although examlna'
ton Of the pawnbroker's records gave
an entirely different name.
Without loss of time Frank hasten
ed to Linville. He would see Harold
and demand the truth. Perhaps-and
at the thought his pulses bounded
there was some reason besides inditI
ference for Amy's failure to wear bis
ring.
He reached the small town at noon
and almost the first person he met was
Harold Fastening to lunch.
Frank went straight to the point
and Harold. after being convinced thai
there vas a vital reason for tbs
searching question, broke down and
admitted that Amy had pawned h'
jewels to raise money for him. Ther
In answer to Franks eager question:
r. --lI ..I