Show F ONLY A 11 JOKE K by MARTHA M WIL WILLIAMS youre a fine person john andrew had shirked annes annea first house party for whose success she was so anxious had a party and then some eh he queried jauntily 1 I know I 1 treated you badly anne some day you shall know why I 1 had to do it may I 1 tell you right now anne ann asked red spots flaming in her cheeks her readiness startled him 1 I wish to heaven you would tell me what you think it was he answered 1 I dont think I 1 know she declared cowardice you thought id make a scene over llna lina loree As it if I 1 cared I 1 begged her to announce your engagement when she I 1 all but did it myself engagement to whom am I 1 engaged he questioned amazedly see here who says im engaged to anybody he demanded his eyes darkening nobody but llna lina had on your ring and paraded it constantly when I 1 told her I 1 knew what it meant she deny 1 I seel see john andrew broke in say anne weve grown up together and you know me have I 1 ever told you a ile ha except about trifles or in a good cause no so BO please dont begin it now anne returned looking down it would be as foolish as it would be wicked to deny things after youve given any girl your mothers own ring it surely would john andrew returned his lips setting hard here indeed was a complication the ring was an heirloom ile he had always been very careful of that ring seldom wearing and still ma more re rarely letting it pass out of hla his possession annes annea touch of it had always pleased him her taper fingers had seemed to caress the bauble she could scarcely bo be mistaken in her assertion as to its present whereabouts but so far as he knew the jewel was safe within his strong box at home he had put it there he told himself the morning he fled from annes house party later accusing memory recalled to him that he had shown it to llna lina loree over at the farnhams Fam Farn hams but she had certainly returned it to his keeping there on the corner of the piazza saying with a strained little laugh as she dropped it into the case casa he be held open take it john but not for always I 1 hope those last words only whispered had been john andrews danger signal ile he had managed somehow to laugh away their implication and had then taken refuge in a gallant good by and galloped briskly home now john andrew face to face with the problem of his life dared not speak out it would be shameful to accuse a gentlewoman upon mere suspicion rather than that lie he must let anne continue to misunderstand him looking straight into her indignant eyes he said unsteadily 1 I cant explain not now but if if I 1 bring my mothers ring may I 1 put it where you know I 1 have always meant it to go she shook her head slightly the age of miracles Is past she said regretfully gret fully 1 I am going to restore your faith in miracles and in me ho he said turning away without another word As the case sprung open in his hand john andrew started back with a little smothered exclamation it was not empty but as ho he lifted the shining bauble within it and held it to the light he laughed grimly there was indeed a superficial likeness between the thing he held and the thing he sought instantly ho he recalled linas passion for the stage her long experience in private theatricals and realized that she had attempted to palm on him this bit ol of stage trumpery and then had been indiscreet enough or vain enough or possibly crafty enough to wear tho the jewel she sha had taken in exchange theft he told himself must not have been the original impulse but rather the opportunity to triumph even mo ment menta arlly rily over her rival ho he wanted to swear at her at himself at the whole world but there was not time he must act instead Long longview view fifty miles distant he ha could make it before nightfall with hla his speedy roadster llna lina appeared to be neither sur nor abashed at his return she met him with an air of bravado which seemed to imply that she had nothing to conceal that she bhe was willing to meet him even a little more than hall way without a word he took the clumsy substitute from the ring case and hold held it out to her oh I 1 see she laughed knowingly you have returned to Long longview view tc make an exchange yes he returned pointedly 01 course I 1 kneir you meant it as a joke but I 1 assure you there Is a side elde to it the ring actually belong to anne of course it was only a joke jhc declared slipping his ring from hei finger and returning it to him with 8 3 1 brave attempt at ai a smile I am going goine to call up anne and tell her all about it copyright 1916 by the mcclure ivr pcr syndicate |