The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1920-05-27
Lost and
Found
~0
BY WALTER ]. DELANEY
Copyright. 1919, by the Western News.
paper Uniou)

| There was the swing and the smile
OF unrestrained sheer joy of livin!
present with Ruby Dale as she crossed
vacant space to the house Of thu
nearest neighbor.
"Nearest-and dearest y she wills
pered laughingly to herself, and ther
flushed peony red and she glanced al
ring on her White shapely hand witt
sparkling eyes and kissed it.
"Oh, how silly, but delightful !" CHR
ruped Ruby, flushing again.
A new interest in life seemed tt
have been born in her since the pre-
vious afternoon. She was one of the
party Of agreeable young people who
had comprised picnic party. She
had been the special invited guest OF
Dorothy Bell, but before the day was
over the brother of that young lady
Aylmer Bell had appropriated her
completely and accompanied her cleal
to the door of her home.
Ruby'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. Aylmer had arrived from
college only a week since. but had eyes
for Ruby only among the town bellies.
His attentions f1attered, and then at
tracted her. Certainly he was hand
some, courteous, bright-spirited young
man. She was radiant with excite
ment 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 surface, and Aylmer had
recited quite story appcrtaining to
its origin and history.
"A student from India gave it to
me-" he told Ruby. eve got quite
chummy. It's sort Of magic wishing
ring in his country, he told me. I've
made my wish. Suppose you wear it
for a spell? Maybe you have some
special wish. Try it. And both.laugh.
ed gleesomely, but Ruby with thrill
as she met those expressive eyes Of
Aylmer, 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 a sudden halt
Her gaze was transfixed. A little
distance ahead was garden bench
Seated upon it was very lovely wom-
an. BY her side was an open book
upon which her glance was fixed and
her lips moved as though she was read
ing from it, At her feet, in the atti-
tude of some devoted cavalier, was
Aylmer Bell.
He held one hand of the strange
lady and seemed pleading to her in
tumultuoUs emotion. She drew close to
him and he pressed q kiss upon her
cheek.
Her face af1ame, her soul aroused to
deep Amusement and disappointment,
Ruby turned. Her eyes flashed as she
removed the ring he had given her
flung it across a grass plat, and re-
traced her way homeward to seek
her room sobbing and in tears. 1t 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 Indebtedness
and went downstairs to find Aylmer's
sister on the porch, her automobile
at the curb.
IL can linger only a moment" she
spoke. "Why did you not come?
Aylmer waited and Mrs. Estes, too.
She is our sster-in-law, you know,
and we are to give a 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?"
IF you please" replied Ruby meek
ly, and as her visitor left, 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 a 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.
IL lost your ring" stammered
Ruby, but I have found It," and