The Meeker herald., 1919-01-11

"Why, have the very thing 7" *
claimed Arnold, buoyed up by an In
spring thought. After mother died
father gave me all her old trihkets.
There Is a bloodstone ring she had
when she was u little girl like you.
I'll bring 1t to you tomorrow. and
whenever you start to use your left
hand the sight of the ring will remind
you."
That was the beginning Of an idyllic
experience. For the next Ave years
those two were almost inseparable.
Nellie's left-handedness was cured, al
though she always insisted ON greet
ing Arnold with the left hand.
Nearest my heart, you know" she
would say with bright smile.
1t was a proud day for Arnold when
he and Nellie graduated from school.
both with unusual marks of merit. Ar
mold gave her beautiful bouquet and
saw her home from the class banquet
that evening. Leaning over the garden
gate In the moonlight, he caught the
glimmer Of the ring Nellie always
wore.
"Whyi You have changed 1t from
finger to finger as they grew" ex-
do you thInkf Your engagement I'm
gerW
Nellie blushed; her hand, nesting
In his, twitched and trembled. Her
mother called her Just then. but Ar
mold Wayne left her with secret re-
solve to tell her of his love very soon.
Alas for youthful hopes! Within a
week his father decided to remove to
Canada. where relative had left him
a great farm. And the hurry and
hustle of hurried departure Arnold
saw Nellie only twice In the interim.
Others were present. He could only
whisper to her: II am coming back
some day." and she had murmured
softly: II shall count the days you
are gone"
Almost Immediately after reaching
the fur northern farm land Mr.. Wayne
was taken i'll and later became entire
ly incapacitated for work. Young as he
was, Arnold was compelled to assume
NIL the responsibility OF managing the
fnrm. He did not shirk the duty. His
grained stepmother and her three chill
dren. Once he wrote to Nellie. He
received no answer.
At the end Of five years Mrs. Wayne
married again. The farm had thriven
and Arnold offered to sell out his In
terest to his stepmOther. He received
sufficient to make him comfortable for
life. He was lonely for the city and
old acQuaintances and friends. The
evening that he was packing up he
came across fond memento Of the
pust-a carnelIan heart that pretty.
Nellie Ross had given him In exchange
for the bloodstone ring that eventful
schoolday in the now dim and misty
long ago.
How a memory Of that scene in the
far past thrilled him! 1t seemed AZ
though q secret door within his Utmost
soul had been abruptly unlocked. He
hungered for 4 sight Of the little fairy
who had grown up in his life as II
sentient part Of his being.
Arnold had for a long time won
dered why work. wealth and success
had seemed vapid and dull to him. He
knew now. He must have an object
to love. He set his face southwark
and his first destination was his native
village.
He sought the Ross family, but In
vain. He learned that within month
after his departure their home hnd
burned down and they had removed to
q. neighbOring town. Arnold truced
a,A st.uk ako Eush has haL
died. The family was broken up and
scattered. At the end Of month Ar.
mold gave up an apparently useless
quest. He went to the city. took up
bachelors quarters and planned to In.
vest his capital in some business In
the metropolis.
One afternoon, turning q crowded
street corner. Arnold made = spring as
he saw a little child crossing the thor.
oughfare directly In the path of
speeding automobile and all uncon.
scIOus OF her peril. Just In time he
seized her. but the fender Of the ma.
chine struck his arm. hurting him to
the ground. The little one was terri
fed and hystericnl. A policeman led
both to the nearest drug store.
. "Only slight bruise," the attending
physician told Arnold, rs he examined
his arm and applied soothing lotion.
"You, little one. can thank this gentle
man for saving your life."
The child lifted her eyes gratefully
to the face Of Arnold and placed her
hand conndingly within his own. As
she did 20 Arnold give q vivid start.
Upon one finger he noted . ring-n
bloodstone ring-hls ring, given to Mel.
lie Ross years ago. oh, he could not
mistake 1t!
II will see this little one safely
home," he said, and with her left the
drug store.
Where did she live. With Aunty