The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1920-04-08
Lost and
Found
0.0
By WALTER j. DELANEY
(Copyrig,ht, 1919. BY the Western Nsws-
-.es psDsr Unton.C

b.
There was the swing and the smile
|; OF unrestrained sheer joy Of living
present with Ruby Dale as SHE. crossed
a. vacant space to- the. house Of ths
nearest neighbour.
"Nearest-and. dearestv' she whis.
pered laugliingly to- herself, and! them
flushed penny red and she glanced at
a ring on her white shapely iind with
sparkling eyes, and kissed it.. "a
ION, how silly, bat delightful" cisirs
ruped Ruby, flushing again.
A new interest IN life seemed te
have been born. In, her, since. the pre-
vious afternoons. She was one Of the.
party Of agreeable young people who
had comprised q picnic party. SAes
had been the special invited guest of
Dorothy Bell, but before the day was
over the brother OF that young lady,
Aylner Bell had appropriated hef
completely and accompanied her eAear
to the door of her home.
Ruhy's eyes glistened as she recalled
that delicious half -hour' lingering at
the gate in the clear white moonlight
She. had known the Bells, only since
they had taken the next house month
previous. AylInev had arrived from
college only week since, but had eyes
for Ruby only among the town bellies
His attentions ftattere4, and then at
tracted her. Certainly he was hand
some, courteous, hright~spirited young
man. She was radiant with excite
ulent and the sure dawning Of first
love.
Ruby had noticed that her escort
,, wore ring Of peculiar pattern bearing
several cabalistic signs set in mosaic
across a seal surfaces; and Aylmer had
recited quite story appertaining to
it's origin and history.
"A student from India gave it. to
me-" he told Ruby eve got quite
ch,nnmy. It's a sort Of magic wishing
ring in his country, he told me, I've
', made my wish. Suppose you wear 1t
for spell? Maybe you have some
! special wish. Try it. And both laugh
ed gleesomely, but Ruby with a thrill
as she met those expressive eyes of
cAyl1ner, plainly revealing how pleased
he was to have her accept the romantic
token proffered.
Aylmer's sister had phoned the eve
ming previous. Brother and I are
planning something grand in the way
Of social entertainment" she told
Ruby.
! Alas! for ideals of human felicity.
The Bell place occupied extensive gar.
den space and thus was accessible: by
! gateways on three sides. Ruby ira
versed a graveled path, crossed ten
: mis- court and came to sudden halt. =
! Her gaze was transfixed. A little
distance ahead was garden bench
Seated upon it was very lovely won-
IAN. BY her side was an open book
upon which her glance was fixed and
3, her lips moved as though she was read
ing from 1t. At her feet, in the atti
tude Of some devoted cavalier, was
Aylmer Bell.
I He held one hand of the strange
lady and seemed pleading to her in
tnmultuous emotion. She drew close to
him and he pressed a kiss upon her
cheek
Her face aflame, her soul aroused to
deep amazement and disappointment,
Ruby turned. Her eyes flashed as she
removed the ring lie had given her
flung it across grass plat, and re-
traced her way homeward to seek
her room sobbing and in tears It was
an hour later when her sister ran up
the stairs.
+ ooh! Ruby, dear" she announced,
Miss Bell Is here and wishes to see
you" ~ ~ ~
Ruby repressed her wretchedness
and went downstairs to find Aylmer's
sister on the porch, her automobile
ut the curb.
81 can linger only moment" she
spoke. "Why did you not come?
Aylmer waited and Mrs. Estes, too
She is our sister-in-law, you know,
and we are to give little play at
our next entertainment with you and
Aylmer as hero and heroine She
wants to coach you on your part
Aylmer has been in training all the
morning Shall we say five for the
first rehearsal?''
y .'1f you please" replied Ruby meek
ly, and as her visitor left, a new re-
lieved and happy light came into her
eyes. She discovered her error now
regarding the garden scene. She
tripped along joyously as she neared
the place few hours later. As be-
fore she entered the garden.
'The ring-I must recover it," she
breathed eagerly, and she was down
on her knees upon the little grass
plat where she had cast it away. A
cry of gladness escaped her lips as
she came across it. She pressed it to |
her lips, started and looked up.
''Why, Miss Dale, looking for some.
thing" questioned -Aylmer Bell, a
queer wrinkle about the lips
"I--I lost your ring" stammered
Ruby, 'but have found It," and
paused, blushing crimson.