The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1922-08-17
The BROCADE BAG
BY KATE EDMoNpS
D. 1871. by Mcclure NeMxnaner sxna,o

Vs. lsSi' oy Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
Olive swung the bag carelessly as
she walked; 1t was a beautiful thing
created Of oriental brocade In peacock
shades. Larry Deane had given II to
her on her birthday, shortly afte
their engagement, and she cherished
1t above all her treasures save the
beautiful cluster of diamonds on her
finger.
1.-THE cord will break and you will
lose the bag" cautioned Larry.
1T Is quite strong" retorted Olive,
quite unpleasantly.
Il don't suppose 1t would matter II
you did lose It," went on Larry in a
frigid tone.
Olive pondered provokingly. There
are some really precious things In it
my vanity case, my gold purse, the
philopena gift Joe Watterson gave me,
one Of his letters, and"
isn't that enoughT' glared Larry.
for they had been disagreeing about
Joe's attentions to Olive.
AS he helped her out of the car at
her home and she released her hand,
he discovered that she had left the
cluster-of-diamonds ring in his palm.
He grew white and stared at her.
you mean that oliver
"Of course"
"WhyT
"You do not trust me-you are
Jealous"
II am sorry you believe that
said nothing until you criticised my
dancing Wit. Ella-well, what does II
matter? If you really cared you could
not play with happiness in this way.
Good-by." he said, and drove madly
down the drive.
On the veranda, Olive watched him
with unbelieving eyes; as he went
the gray car became a blur because
she was crying. When her mother
inquired why she wept, Olive con.
fessed that she had lost her beautiful
brocade bag.
How careless" chided Mrs. Dare
Perhaps It is In the car, dear. Shall
telephone to Larryf"
"No-no-please do not / have
given Larry back his ring-and I've
lost his bag-and-I-never want any
Of them back again." announced Miss
Dare In wavering tone.
"You have lost something very Pre-
cious." remarked her mother sadly.
'The bag didn't have much In it
lust q bread-and-butter note from Jo>
Watterson and a few other things"
~ did not mean the bag-I mean
Larry" was Mrs. Dare's quiet reply
"Some bird" calculated Larry, a
the little gray car poked along througl
pleasant byway on the road home
His gaze was fixed on a bit Of bril-
liant blue-green perched In q sha'
bush beside the road.
"Olive's bag!" he CALCULATED, recos
mixing 1t with q pang, and the uttl
gray car stopped abruptly. Larry tool
the bag from its perch and studio,
the gorgeous peacocks woven into tn
fabric. She had said Joe Watterson'
letter was there-ruthlessly he pulle
the bag open and looked; the golde
purse, the foolish pencil Joe had give
her-it looked like q stick Of pepper
mint candy-some letters which b
recognized as his own-and one pei
ciled scrawl which might be joe
Suddenly he did not care about Jo'
His own letters made the bag preciou
to her-naughty little thing. Just the
he heard footsteps, hurrying.
Larry hung the bag on the shs
bush and the little car scampered
q bend in the road and waited breatl
lessly. Larry peered through the VI
derbrush.
It was Olive.
She was hatless and there wei
traces Of tears on her soft cheeks an
, her lips were very pathetic.
When she saw the brocade bag u
uttered q soft cry Of pleasure. ar
snatching 1t from the bush. Rugged
to her lips.
"You dear, dear thing" she sobbe
"you are all that l have left"
That is what she really said, 4
} Larry had stolen upon her and neal
I her just in time to hold her very tigh
. ly In his strong arms.
. els 1t too late for happiness, dear
. he asked the repentant girl.
? Motif you can forgive my folly
: she whispered.
3 "Then-et US say 1t will never ha
J, pen again-and the ring Is In Il
3 bag"
At last when they were seated
9 the car and Larry had started 1t, OH
h turned swiftly.
0 "What was that sound7"
!. Larry said he didn't know, but
4 think he suspected 1t was a qui
! chuckle from the sympathetic ht'