The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-05-25

"As much as you will give me-"
she told him simply. with no idea
OF bargaining. but because she
did not know the exact value OF
the gem.
zone hundred"
"Only a hundred!" she echoed
in alarm. "Why ! thought :"
she stopped short, averse to tell
ing him that she had believed It
worth many hundred in fear that
he would know her Ignorance.
"Yas?" he urged eagerly.
II thought you would give me
at least two hundred" she said.
zone hundred" he said de-
cisively. But when Virginia lett
the shop a few minutes later she
had 1925 more than she had when
she entered It. She was glad she
had received the drivers advice
but her pleasure would have been
short lived II she had heard the
pawnbroker congratulating him.
self upon his end Of the bargain.
"He's sresetting' It," she told
the waiting driver. with a wry
smile. "And thanks to you | got
the IS percent. increase"
"And do we 60 back to the
Ritz" he inquired gayly.
Eyes. but tell me first, are you
absolutely certain my ring will be
safe here?" Virginia worried.
"You can take my word and my
numb Der too. lady. and IL anything
goes wrong Just 60 to my company
and complain" the man assured
her earnestly. and Virginia de-
cided that his word would do.
For the first time In her life
she inquired about rates before
taking accommodations in a hotel.
and when she was at last alone In
the cheapest room the Ritz had to
offer she locked the door and
turned to survey her new quar-
ters and her new life.
She had been in humber cham
bers in obscure stopping places
when travelling in out-of-the-way
villages and towns with her
father. But that had all been ad.
venturous. romantic. while this
was commonplace: first visible
result OF her change from the
petted daughter OF wealth to q
pennilcss girl with a bitter. stag
gering undertaking ahead OF her.
blocking off her happiness II she
failed In I'll
i A lump rose in her throat ana
fear. CHASTITY. paralyzing fear.
froze It there. What q mad thing
she had done to make such q rash
bargain with Frederick Dean! She
had told him she'd rather die than
marry him, but that escape would
not clear her fathers name. She
could visualize grave, white
haired. venerable men sitting in
; club windows. whispering over the
; stories Dean would set afloat.
She couldn't bear 1t. The lump
. in her throat was torn away on
, strangled cry and she dropped
into q heap on the floor. where she
, lay for q long time. inert. her
mind stunned with the shock and
. grief that had come upon her In
such q swiftly moving succession
, OF misfortune.
II Dusk had given way to night be-
fore Virginia stirred and breathed
! sobbingly. Weakly she brushed
/ her hair of her hot forehead and
dragged herself to her feet.
II She was faint With lack Of food
! but It did not occur to hep to
Z order anything to eat. There
! were only two things that seemed
! OF any importance to her. TO hnd
! out from her fcther's lawyer Il
she could hope tor any money
\ from the estate. and to see Ma
thaniel-to tell him -.
: Aud - 4 her loyal heart had
/ not already suffered enough t.
I break It. Virginia suddenly
!. glimpsed Z new cross that shs
must bear.
Ito Be Coutinued)