New Britain herald., 1926-07-30

, But she did not care.
 She was in that dangerous reck
 less mood when a woman will d.
 anything. Anything.
 If Bill Erskine had asked he
 to marry him that rainy autumn
 morning she would have done it
 almost without thinking.
 But he didn't! he was waitins
 for her on the windy corner of Fiji
 street and Eighth avenue, and he
 jumped into the taxi as it swung
 up to the curb beside him.
 His ruddy face was more ruddS
 than ever from the crisp air, and
 it was spangled with rain drops
 His hand was wet as he laid it on hers.
 He whipped out his handkerchief.
 Let me measure your finger"
 he said in the brisk way that he used when he was putting over a 1 business deal.
 Which finger?" Merry asked, holding up both of her little hands. Bill chuckled. You know which
 one, you little demon!" he said, and measured the third finger of her left hand-the finger that once had worn an old engagement ring Of beaten gold and pearls. Then he leaned forward and gave an address to the driver.
 
 i've been thinking over your little attack of nerves, last night, Little Sister," he said as he helped Merry out of the cab, and led her up to the biggest jewelry store in this town of ours. And I've made up my mind that what ails you is 'peeve,' Just plain, good old-fash- toned peevishness! You think I ought to marry you right now, and you think if you're hateful enough, I'll do it don't you?"
 Merry was too surprised to an- swer him. She just stared at him, her lips parted, her eyes wide,
 Well, and I'm going to do it." Bill went on smoothly. But not right now. I've told you how things are with my father. He may not live more than a week or so. But in the meantime just to show you that my heart in the right place, l I'm going to get you that engage ment ring that you've been beefing {, about for so long, |
 "BILL!H" Merry found her voice at last, Bill, I don't want your old ! ring" She turned | and started back toward the door \ way of the great, glittering shop.
 But Bill stopped her. Now, Merrylips, don't act like that, just because I scold you 8 little bit" he said to her, taking her by the arm, You had it coming to you. Don't you think you were a pretty pad little girl last night, Sneaking n another beaux when you thought old Bill was away off in Florida. Now, come on over here, like good kid, and pick out your spark er."
 With q little toss of her yellow lead, Merry allowed herself to be ed to the case where the spark CTS" as Bill called them, lay gleaming and glittering like sea If stars.
 In the middle of the first of the -elvet-lined boxes that the sales nan showed them was the kind of ing that Merry had always Ireamed about dreamed about -old and pearl ring that had be- onged to Tony Gaines motber. A quare-cut diamond, set in plat num-!
 "O-o-oh!" she breathed, as she ooked at it. She slipped it on her inger and looked up at Bill. She eld it out for him to see.
 "O-o-oh!" she said again, It was Il she could say Like Enid in he old English ballad, she let her yes speak for her"
 May I have any ring I want?" he asked at last, breathlessly.
 Bill shrugged his heavy shoul- CTS. Take your pick,' he an- Iered grandly, and then added but don't soar above two hundred ollars. I'm no Rockefeller, you now. nor yet Henry Ford.
 Merry peeped at the price 141t.s n the ring she was wearing r~ s48H." Q Quietly she slipped it off, and , oked through the tray for a two undred- dollar one.
 There was only one at that price. AndI she said to herself, lit ould take a microscope to find the amond it it"
 That was not quite true, of ,urse. The diamond was a fairly rge one, and it shone like a little ar. But beside the square-cut le that Merry wanted, it looked leap and ordinary. If I work this right, I can have e big one,' she thought. She lew that if she made eyes at Bill, Id fettered him, and told him he st must buy that lbig diamond r his own Little Sister Merrylips,
 probably would do it.