Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1943-02-18
VIRTUE
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By EMMA FORESTER
Mcclure Syndicate-WNU Features.

chair back from her brilliant dinner
table with her regular invitation:
Nov, people, let's get set for a
good game of bridget"
Ordinarily Boyce did not object to
bridge, especially bridge with oppo-
nents that played as quietly and
cleverly as Flora and Fred. But
Flora's soft pink hands moving lam
guidly across bridge table panied
Boyce.
This was rather odd, for Flora's
hands were plump and beautifully
manicured; but they carried bur-
den of jewels that raked Boyce's
soul with their many fangs Of light.
He never dared look up from
the cards on the table lest Bca,
his wife, or the Walters, would
read the agony passing through
his mind, He knew how Bea felt,
too, and that made the ache Of
his much worse.
The game tagged for moment
as the women lighted cigarettes.
Fred, fumbling through his pockets
for his lighter, pulled out a diamond
ring which he handed to Flora, re-
marking as he laid it in her soft and
scented hand, Got this today, on a
trade-in of cars. How do you like
it?"
Flora grunted amiably through
short satisfied puffs of smoke as she
turned the ring around aimlessly
and said after a careless inspec-
ton:
Il guess it'll do but I don't want
it, Fred. 1t doesn't match thing
I have, and I'd never wear it."
Bea gave an eager, stifled gasp
as Flora indolently tossed the ring
over to her to examine. AS it lay
in her palm, quivering and cleaning
in its own veil of glory, Flora geai-
ally suggested:
"Try it on, Bea."
Bea glowed with the rapture
of a dazzled baby as she slipped
the precious bauble on her fin
ger and held her hand up turn
ing it around for each of the
others to see.
Fred Walters, smiling indulgeutly
at her delight, said with open, easy
cordially, go ahead and keep it,
Bea. Flora doesn't want it. Chances
are I'll find it white elephant 10
dispose of, and even then not real
ize anything on the transaction"
He offered the gift with quiet and
candid dignity, 1t might have been
an apple. His eyes twinkled IN
pleased response at her happy ex-
clamation.
Eyes, take him up quickly before
he changes his mind. That's the
way l got these" bantered Flora,
with lazy binding gestures.
Only Boyce sat silent and grave
as Bea turned her head and her
hand to catch the burning loneliness
of the diamond. Her eyes shone.
Boyce knew what swept her mind
and how terrific the urge of acquisi-
ton can be- Hadn't he felt it, this
same bitter longing on every birth
day, Christmas and other anniver-
sary since their engagement-au Of
their married life?
His breath stopped for an in
slant as Boa hesitated. His
heart gave cruel twist, then an
exultant leap as Bea coolly drew
off the ring and handed it back
to Flora, saying with unaffected
gratitude:
81 think it's lovely of both of you.
But, of course, I just couldn't"
Two hours later Boyce slipped be-
hind her as she sat before her dress
ing table preparing for bed. She
looked very girlish and lovely, love-
lier even than he remembered her
as his bride.
Memory pierced him. What hadn't
he promised to do for Bea then?
Yet the years had drifted across
the calendar and the most of these
deeds remained undone.
How long she had hungered, as
she had often said, For just one
diamond"
He knelt beside her and pulled
down her fragrant face, kissing her
dewy lips and bright eyes.
He checked miserably.
'Bea darling!"
His voice broke.
Without warning a warm little
hand crept into his.
He stammered and trembled as
he began again, ''Bea, darling! I
was so proud of you, so terribly
proud Of you, and thankful. toe.
when you turned down that diamond
ring that Flora and Fred offered you
tonight You poor kid! I know
what a sacrifice it was. honey" be
went on shakily. But want to give
you your first diamond ring.
81 know how patient you've
been, Bea. But If you'll only
trust me q little longer
you'll have them, Bea. Like the
other girls. It was brave
fine -. of you, darling, to turn
down that ring"