New Britain herald., 1926-07-15
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER XVII

NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER XVII ! When Merry woke up the next
 morning she felt as if something dreadful were going to happen. She was heavy and depressed and un- | happy--filled with a sense of fore
 boding.
 Then suddenly she remembered. 1 Nothing was going to happen. It
 had happened already! Tony had
 left her. He was through with her.
 She sat up II bed, drowsy and dizzy, staring blindly at the window with the sunshine glinting through it. Then she looked across at her own reflection in the mirror. Her | face was still swollen and tear stained, and there were purplish marks under her eyes.
 Before I'd cry about any man!" Jinnys shrill little voice, coming from the bed on the other side Of the room, startled her. At fifteen, Jimmy has second sight when ii came to her sisters love affairs. l Anu SlIC "do ItluS lO ldlh lllClll over at all times, with an engaging frankness.
 "How do you know I've been crying?" Merry asked stepping out on the floor and reaching under the bed for her bedroom slippers. You didn't see me-
 No, but l heard you" Jimmy an- swered with an enormous yawn that showed her little pink tongue and her shining teeth. You were snivelling in your sleep when I came home from the movies last night"
 She paused and went on thoughts fully. What l most want to know is this,' she said, If NIr. Gaines has stopped coming to see you, what are you doing with that ring that's in yo"r top drawcr?"
 "I1l thank you to leave my top drawer alope. Jimmy Locke!" Merry answered her coldly. She opened it and took the ring out of it.
 She didn't know what to do with it. Perhaps she ought to pack it | into a box and send it back to Tony. But she hated 10 do that. i She finally decided to keep it for ! a day or two in the hope that he would come for it, himself And | in that hope, she tied it around her neck on a piece of black ribbon.
 Cassie came into the room while [ she was doing if, to borrow nail file.
 "I broke mine" she said. "The wind was rattling the window last l night and l stuck the file into one side to hold if. Whats that you're tying around your neck?" she came closer to see for herself what the gleam of pearl and gold was.
 "A ring" she cried, her eyes And what a beautiful old thing it is! Where on earth did you get it?"
 "It was Tony Gaines mothers ring" Merry answered. "He gave if 10 me"
 Cassie stared, 9he couldn't un- ierstand this at all
 If Tony Gaines had given Merry an engagement ring, why had Merry been incoming around the house for the last day or two, as + shc had? Also, why hadn't Merry 4 shown the ring to anyone? And why was she wearing it around her neck instead Of on the third finger Of her left hand where if ,elonged. It was all quite beyond f, Tassie.
 You and Tony have had unpus. though, haven't you?" she lslted, lot king straight at her sis. Ii "r's unhappy little face as she poke. --.r-
 Merry nodded and slipped the no"rl ring inside her kimono. ls
 She knew that there was no use h n trying to get rid of Cassie when { 'assie was trying 10 find out some i hing that sh" wanted to know. {
 Cassie had of getting al- most anything she wanted, some- { low. She had the largest bedroom h T the house, f softest bed. the ( Y 'e't clothes, top of the cream n her morning coffee, and the