My Diamond Ring.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 9290, 16 January 1892, Page 4

My Diamond Ring.

{Continued from yesterday.') Basil wer© really there, and, .ttneonsoibus of my danger, should turn baok again without coming nearer to the house 1 With oue intense prayer for Almighty aid Isud» deuly flung aside Donovan's hand, and had got across the room aud flung open the door ere he had recovered from the aston* ishment that my energetio action had inspired. He was after me in a moment, bub not before I hajl screamed '• Basil ! Basil !" and the sturdy blacksmith, recognising the dosperation in my voice, was by my side in an instant. Then I heard a muttered oath as Donovau rushed past me, aud wne lost in ihe darkness. Basil waa about to dart after him, but I clung to him tremblingly. lf Oh, do not leave me — do not leave ma !" I gasped. " Let him go, he cannot hurt me now. Come in," and realising that the ueril *v<"» vast I burafc inta a fit ot hysterical weeping. \V hun I grew calm ©nougii to talk I tolil Basil ar.d "Sally the' wlio!o story. B;v.sil was wild to go and sivk tho author of my terror, in order that ho alight Ijo duly punished, but in my st.it u of sii.V-if.n liuivcu I could not boar tho idea of bi-ing l«'ft, even with iho comp.inionship of Silly and the sccuiity of ooltotl iloors. So 13.i-sil stayed all night, occupyiny ono of tho boils left vacant by the absence of tin; meu-servauts. Sally slept nu tho sofa ii my room, lor 1 folt too uiiotrung to icm:iin entirely by myuclf. Tho nost morning Djnovau was nowhere to be found, and we have never seen or heard of him since. My father, on his return, was horror-stricken to hoar of the danger to which I had been exposed, and said that ha woul 1. noysr again leave me so unprotected. , As for Tom, when I •wrote aud told him about tho afliiir, hfl speedily camo ovor .iu«i taiil that it was, clear to him tlifil ;i jiinin gold ring would" be better tli.m di.unomls 'for ordinary wear. So I supjxiso tho exchange will very shortly bo effected. — Household Words. .;,' •