Jasper County Democrat, Volume 10, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1907 — Ruled by Che Ring. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ruled by Che Ring.

By CHARLES STILLER.

Keeler stepped aside to let her pass, and the girl favored him with a smile as she acknowledged bis courtesy. He went on up the stairs with a feeling of warmth about his heart Somehow the smile of the girl across the ball always affected him that way. He had often wished that he might venture to speak, but there was something about her that held him back. For almost a year now they bad been fellow tenants of the old rookery that masqueraded is a studio building. His name, neatly printed, adorned his door, bat there was not a sign of an announcement on her own, from which he Inferred that she worked for some concern and merely used the office as a workshop. He .bent over his drafting board all the morning, though the face of the girl somehow would get mixed up with the side elevation of the building he

was planning, and he was glad when the tiny clock struck 12 and he had an excuse for stopping for lunch. He had not yet made his fame as an architect, and lunch was an elementary meal—a couple of sandwiches brought down from home and a cake of maple sugar that he had picked up somewhere. He chipped off a comer of the cake with bis eraser. On the broken half a yellowish glint caught his eye, and he further dissected his portion. It was a ring, a slender band of gold, with “T. H. to A. G., 1904,” engraved inside. Plainly some girl’s engagement ring this. Perhaps some Utile country girl was bewailing her toss even yet He caught up the box, with its gaudy labeL It bore the address, and that evening he posted a letter addressed to Thomas Gillespie, Wycoma. Vt, in which he explained the discovery of the ring and announced his willingness to return it on a proper description.

With his own little romance of the girl across the hall, Vance Keeler felt Interested in all romances, and as he slipped the letter Into the box he sent after It a wish for good lock. But sometimes blessings, like curses, come home to roost He was beginning to fear that there would be no answer to his letter, that perhaps the label was but an evasion of the pure food law, when there came a knock at his door, and in answer to his “Enter” there appeared the girl farm across the hall, blushing rosily. ‘‘l believe that you are Mr. Vance Keeler, ’’ she began as Vance sprang to his feet and dusted off the company chair. “You have the advantage of me,” he suggested, “since I do not know your name.” “I am Agnes Gillespie,” she explained. “My father wrote me to see you about a letter you sent him.” “And yon were working right across the hall all the time?” be cried. “Bather a roundabout way, isn’t it? I suppose you can describe It” “It was a plain gold band.” she said. “The Initials were»T. H. and A. O. and the date 1804.” “The Initials are right,” he agreed, "bat the date Is wrpng. It’s 1904.” “That la because the ring has been worn so long,” she explained, the red suffusing her face. “The Bls partly erased.” The blush convinced him, and his heart sank as he drew out the ring. Perhaps she was bashful about admitting her engagement, but It was 1904. He could swear to that. Her face broke Into smiles as be drew It from his pocket and passed it to her. “I never thought that I should see it again,” she ran on. “It dropped off my hand last year while T waa helping with the sugaring. I never realized that It might be in the sugar until it had all been shipped.” She slipped the ring on her finger, and Vance noticed that it was a perfect fit He breathed silent vengeance on “T. EL" as be,held the door open for her, but took satisfaction in the thought that he at least knew her name. - After that when they met on the ttalrs they exchanged greetings, and several times she had to run into boi*

row a rubber or some material, and once she had shown him her studios where she worked over designs for a wholesale house. She was always frankly friendly, and he respected the rights of “T. H.” But to keep from loving was quite another thing. Even before be had known her he had fallen In love, and acquaintance had only strengthened the feeling. More than once he thought of moving Taway out of temptation, but before be decided the fateful moment came. He was working with his door ajar, and, chancing to look up, he saw a puff of black smoke blow In. He sprang to bis feet and rushed Into the ball The stairway was crackling merrily, and two floors below the flames had full possession. Theirs was a rear building, built in the yard of the higher structure. It would be a hard Are to fight and all chance of escape by stairway or fire escape was hopeless. He ran to Agnes’ door and burst In when there was no answer to bis knocking. He knew that she was In, for he had seen her pass. One glance showed that he was right in his fear. She was stupefied by the smoke, and he had to drag her ont There was a scuttle to the roof, and from there an emergency ladder led to the top of the next building, a climb of twenty feet Desperation lent him strength, and somehow he got her through the scuttle and was Just lifting her over the edge of the adjoining roof when the flames burst through the roof he had just quit. In the jostling she had received the smoke had been forced out and the air forced Into her lungs, and as he laid her upon the roof she opened her eyes. “What is the matter?” she cried. “I—l remember now. I saw the smoke in nay room, and I fainted. You came for me?” “Sure,” he smiled. “It wouldn’t be neighborly to leave you behind, would it?” “Behind? There?” Her glance wandered to the pillar of flame that rose through the ever widening opening, and she shuddered convulsively. “It was splendid!” she cried, with glowing eyes. “You must have had a terrible time. How did you do it?” “To tell the truth,” he laughed, “I don’t know. I just remember that I climbed up, and that’s all." Hei* bands were clasping each other nervously, ajid she looked down at the ring. “Do you know,” she began and then caught herself, with a blush. “Wha£ Is It?” he asked curiously. She shook her head. “I was thinking of an old tradition of thdTing.” “It’s too new to have traditions,” he protested. She took it off and held it toward him. “That is 1804,” she insisted. “It was my great-grandmother’s. Thomas Hall rescued her from drowning. She "'gave it to her eldest daughter when she was”— "Rescued?” demanded Vance. He scented the tradition. “IJow was your mother rescued?” “A runaway,” she answered, with averted bead. “And there is no T. H. in your case??” he demanded. “You are not engaged?” "No,” she said wonderingly. “Whatever gavjs you that idea?” "You blushed so when I said that the date was 1904. And to think that all this time I have said nothing on account of T. H., who was married a hundred years ago. Do you think that you could learn to—well, to bow to the role of the ring?” “I think I could,” she said softly. “No, I don’t think. I know. I have liked yon for a long time, and it’B not because I am superstitious that I am saying ‘Yes.’” ■ It was a quarter of an hour later that a blue shirted fireman toiling over the roofs with a hose discovered them. “Are you the people that were in the top floor?” he demanded. “We are,” agreed Vance. “Well, please go down and tell the ehlef it’s all right,” he said. “They’re getting ready to dig you out.” “I should say It was all right,” laughed Vance. “I’ll tell the chief with pleasure.”

DESPERATION LENT HIM STRENGTH.