Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-09-30
HER AUNT'S PIN
BY JACK LAYTON.

!
snubbing this pleasant young mans
/ polite advances. He had been so kind
! about adjusting the window to just
/ the proper opening and had offered
his paper with immediate self-efface-
ment
Daisy May regarded him furtively
as he pretended to read. He was not
much older than herself, she thought,
and had frank, open countenance.
More robberies,' commented the
young man, Ever see anything like
1t? Regular 'hOldups' everywhere,
can't be safe walking down the street"
He flashed a sunny smile at her.
Better hold on to your purse when
you reach the city" he admonished.
Il WILL" answered Daisy May
Uncle Baxter warned me about that.
Not that they'd get much money" she
added laughingly.
She had been commissioned to take
two diamonds to the city to have them
reset in a ring. The ring was to be
| gift for herself, but this Daisy May
did not know.
/ She snapped the tasseled bag to-
gether and rode on for some time in
silence. But the young mans eyes
were upon her, she felt them con
sciously.
When he offered his magazine she
accepted 1t with a remorseful smile.
How utterly unreasonable to suspect
| every stranger of thieving motives.
| The usually tiresome trolley trip
passed by as if on happy wings. Daisy
May was regretful that at it's finish
she would see the young man no more
His regret was evident With sue
ceeding miles his gay spirits Vanished
and he grew sadly serious.
81 suppose" he suggested tentative
ly, "there'd be no such luck as meet
ing you occasionally on this same
train"
Il do not" Daisy May severely in
formed him, continue acquaintance
with persons to whom l have not been
! introduced"
The young man relapsed promptly
| INTO lne depths or despair.
Daisy May opening the bag little
later for a last precautionary glance
at Aunt Cynthia's PIN gave a quick
startled cry, the pin was not there In
troubled haste she turned to her
moody companion.
my diamond pin is gone" she muir
| INJURED. You saw ii in my bag few
| moments ago, did you not?"
The young man looked deliberately
into her excited face.
81 saw, nothing in your bag" he in
sisted.
Daisy May gasped. She had been so
sure that he had. The conductor com
ing along at that moment was made
aware of her distress.
Carefully, cushioned seats and floor
were examined. The pin was not to
he found.
The young man obligngy entered
into The search. Daisy May sat per-
picked and baffied.
"The diamonds were very valuable"
she said hopeessly, "and the pin was
not my own
Surrounding passengers arose, shak-
ing their wraps and oyercoats.
Pins sometimes fly about" they
| said
An Italian nearby yindicatingly
turned his pockets inside out, offer
| ing his coat to be searched But the
nice young man made no examina-
ton of his clothing, silently returning
to his seat and paper.
"Your coat please?" the conductor
demanded, "the pin may have become
fastened upon It,"
But the conductor did not shake out
the coats folds, instead his hand
passed into a deep gaping pocket and
when he drew it out again the gleam-
ing pin lay in his palm.
Daisy May leaned tensely forward
while the young mans questioning
| eyes never left her face.
"Thank YOU" she said at last quiet
| ly, and took the pin. The conductor
bent over her.
/ lIlN man SIlOulu bt IOlCtu ~ tA-
plain how the pin came to be in his
| possession" he said But Daisy May
smiled
at really does not matter" she re
piled, 'the young man is with me-"
When the conductor had gone her
| seat companion turned toward her.
why did you say that?" he demand
ed why should you try to shield me
when you believe am guilty?"
81 know that you are not guilty"
Daisy May said slowly 81 would know
that you were not, against all evidence.
DO not ask me to explain why. | be-
| lieve in you, that's all"
The young man stopped to pick up
gray ball of glove which had rolled
beneath the seat. He gave it to her.
you threw the pin out of your bag
probably when you opened 1t to get
this" he said "and my wide gaping