Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-31

ring Why have you brought this one? Where
is mine?'
But that is yours. Mollie," said Jessop. "You
have made mistake. There is other ring
That's the one took to the safety deposit box
ut is not. Anyone can see instantly that il
is not. 1t is not even like it. Why are you try
ing to impose on me? What have you to hide ?
Is the story true that Mrs Roscoe is telling?"
"Mollie," said Jessop in greater desperation
ito tell the truth, lost the other one. and
bought one nearly like it thought it was
exactly like it. did not want to worry you by
telling you that I had lost it."
Il do not believe that" she said with a
calmness which completely deceived him. "You
might as we'll tell the truth. You could not
lose ring expensive and pass it a
trif1e to hide it from me. What Is the truth %
1--WE told you the truth, darling" he said.
II lost your ring, and felt sorry about it, and
I knew how badly you'd feel, and 1 tried to
deceive you. I'm so terribly sorry"
She heard him without remark, and he. not
seeing that her face lined and hardening
and that her face was full of hate reached out
his hands in tenderness and appeal
Don't touch me-" she cried.
The anger stopped him cold.
Don't come near mel"
She got up and went into her bedroom. He
stood for moment, dumb with the shock Of
this unexpected flare. Then he walked back
and forth in the living room in dismay and fear.
He looked in the bedroom and saw that his wife
was lying on the bed with her face buried In a
pillow.
He did not disturb her for an hour Then he
looked in again. She had not moved. He called
her, but she did not reply. He waited longer
until it time for them to dress for the
party. Then he called her again, but she did
not reply. He went to her side and put his hand
on her shoulder. She did not move. He sug-
gested that it was time for them to dress There
was no response.
He walked about the living room while
longer and took drink of whisky. Then he
rallied and went determinedly to her bedside,
sat down beside her and told her the truth.
"Mollie," he said, II had been wanting to
buy this very ring you have or one just like it.
l had been thinking Of 1t for months. but the
price made me hesitate One night I stopped
by window where they had fabricated jewels,
and 1 the very ring l wanted for you.
II didn't think Mollie, how terrible every
thing might be; only thought of the joke I
might play I thought you'd laugh about it.
Mole. I just went in and bought it. 1t cost
$40. I just wanted to play practical joke with
it. ashamed to pay much money, but
I'm damned fool. Mollie
Just after I got out Of the place I ran into
Roscoe and he knew where we could get
couple drinks. So we went and got them. I
showed him the ring and we talked about how
marvellous it was they could do things like this.
Then he said his wife had driven the down
for him and would drive me home.
when we were in the he sad Don,
show Emily the ring you bought your wife,
And showed it to her, and she started to rave
l was trying to tell her that 1t phony ring
but couldn't. Then she said how happy you'd
be because 1t was our anniversary, and she raved
some more and said that her husband never did
such things and she wished he did.
'Then Roscoe began to get sore because his
wife was bawling him out by praisng me. He
began looking around as If l ought to explain
and l tried to, but couldn't. When he dropped
me at the house he was pretty sore because his
wife had made me out much better hus-
band than he was and l hadn't come across to
say that wasn't
II was afraid then but you remember what
happened. didn't intend to give you the ring
then, but had forgotten that 1t our an
niversary until Mrs. Roscoe mentioned it, and
| didn't have any present for you. l was going
eat dinner and then sneak out and try to
find something in one of the stores around here.
Then, you remember, Mrs Roscoe called you