Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-12
The Daily yNouelette
The Wishing Ring
RyuJJy WANDEI,


jtke old temples Of Rajputana and It Is
seupposed TO have the most amazing
power. The saying is that chastt
q maiden need only turn the ring three
times around her finger and wish fol
the man of her dreams and he Will
"NIack O'Dalc. Nou perfectly silly
5Inan." But her eyes famed with In J.
tcrest. "Nou surely have be"n In India
too long. We have u new maid, n
sentimental thing. I'll let her test the
ring
.sBut surn to tell hrr TO close her
eyes when she makes tho wish. warned
Mack grnvely. Good by. ii see you
at dinner. airline"
Bottomless mysteries and impregna :
bic secrets were linked in the charms
Of India, Airline had been told. Had
tiresome old Mack O'Dale captured
something in that land of mysticism
that had escaped the victims OF the
occult? She had not been so genuinely
excited for years.
az wonder" she muscd. 'if this
would BE- a good place to try it. right
here on the lawn with not soul in
sight. Very great was her desire
for her wish To como true. but >ub'on-
sciously she had no faith in the power
Ot Ine flng.
She closed her eyes and. wishing for
the ideal man. turned the ring quickly
three times around her little thumb,
and then. half afraid, opened her eyes.
Before her lay the green lawn. the
Towering bushes. a bit Of the country
turnpike, and the path leading to the
house--and not soul in sight She
laughed. the bitter mirth Of disappoint-
ment, tnged with real anger. toward
Mack when. without the slightest warn
ing, a young man strobe around the
side Of the house. a stranger. tall.
brown and handsome. modern
Adonis.
Airline gasped. her heart pounding.
He came directly toward her with q
decisive military stride. his chin tilted
: imperiously and slnoldering black eyes.
She had not had a definite picture OF
7 the man OF her dreams, but now she
knew that not even in her fondest fancy
she could improve on this man. Hc had
come.
II beg your pardon :" spok" the
Adonis as soon as he came near enough.
'Am I intruding:'
II have been expecting you. an
swered airline soft y.
What? That's remarkable - you
see. I was trying out my brakes and
something made mo stop right here
and
Airline came closer: she felt justified
in doing so. at is quito unexplninable.
I know. I used to rldicule these things
the unseen, you know.
He smiled the most wonderful smile.
"T believe I stalled tho engine. but
imagine my surprise when 7 looked UP
and saw this holsr--T was born here"
"Wondprfu brcathed Airline.
clasping her hands tightly together to
relieve herself of the tremendous emo
tion that filed her.
81 know IT," agreed the young man
with enthusiasm. II just had to get
out wanted to ask permission to go
over the place. wonder--'
Airline shyly put her fingers on his
coat sleeve. ''I.et us show you every
thing-come It was almost caress.
"Will you: That's mighty good Of
you, but just wait q moment Airline
looked up inquiringly. hardly able to
keep her lips from pursing invitingly.
: .I'll just skip back 10 the car" de-
clared tn" Young man genially. land
1 get my wife; shed love 10 SEQ il. too
! Arline's fingers fell away as il she
had been burnt. She managed TO NUT
ter something appropriate and then fee,
Almost panic stricken. she ran in
through the garden into the orchard.
and close 70 tho hedge that separated
the grounds from the public road she
flung herself and burst into angry sobs.
In couple Of minutes she sat up,
wiped her tears away and smiled.
ut was just accidental. his coming.
Mack's foolish old ring is not worth
wearing. but she considered il
with sigglc. "shall I try il again
just for fun. just 70 prove that it IS
n fake And stra ightway she closed
her eyes. wished and turned the ring
three times.
She opened them and looked into tho
mcrriest pair of blue eyes she had ever
seen. They belonged to somebody on
the other side Of the hedge.
"Hello, there said the owner Of
the merry eyes. who also had jolly
voice. GIVE been looking for some
body to talk to arc you thcrgoosc girl
or the mi!kmaid?'
"No.' answered Airline saucily. "I'm
tending tho apple trees hcrc's my
switch TO chase naughty boys away
from bothcring them
''Oh. I'm not interested in trees" ;"
he laughed, "but couldn't you leave
them few moments and come for u
ride:'
She jumped up. her eyes af7amo.
ready for romano" and adventure.
Come on. hurry" begged tho young
man, Just spin while tn" boss and
his wife are looking over this place -
Arlines mouth dropped ever 50
slightly a. she turned abruptly away.
1t was humliating 10 have almost
fallen in love with chauffeur.
e In the darkcncd drawing room she
cried out her rage and uortficat tion
on the davenport. Something pressed
< cuttingly against her hot check. She
took her hands away from her face
4 II was the thumb ring. Tho rrueIcst
kind of jokc.' she whispered. "whcn
] m famishcd for romance IIumbug
Fraud - Then a glenn Of decision
came in her eyes. "T'll show you up,
you old, horrid thing. I'll try YOU
out here, right in the housr-nothin,
short OF absolute magic will make 4
man appear. Uncle is away and Mack
10 In the village. Now ready fol
the crucial test. "This will end it
this pagan stuff" She twisted the rlnl
with closed eyes. wishing. waited a
moment and looked. Nobody appeared
absolute silence reigned.
. ~ .'--s- --'--''
She smiled. relieved. hut disap
pointed. Then, crcak craak, croak
\ Terrified she waited. her eyes fixed
on the door. Slowly it opened and
s there stood Mack
X, airline did not know how it hap.
pcncd, but she was in his arms warmly
cuddlcd against his rough coat. 81
did not go to the village anyway" he
explained. II was afraid that you
might try out the ring and"
Il Il ho 1on nhnI ha,