"STAR" TALES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7800, 3 September 1903, Page 4

"STAR" TALES.

TWO RUBIES AND A RING. (By KATE A. SIMPSON). Author of " A Queen in Rags," " The Man in Pink," "Loo," etc., etc. "There! That's done. I hope it will feach its destination safely, that's all." And the younger Miss Traiford patted the bundle before Tier approvingly with a slim, white hand. " Sas-kat-che-wan," she read #loud slowly, "what a name to ftive a ylace, to be sure !" She had just finished packing up Christmas gifts for a brother in the far NorthWest, and had been patting, folding and squeezing, to §et the numerous offerings down to regulation postal size, and had at last succeeded in. sewing the whole carefolly into its 'holl»nd ywrapper. " Dear old Syd !" murmured her mother. "How nice it will be if he takes that trip borne this summer. It is good to think fee has prospered." ! "Now, Vi, are you coming?" { "I— l think not"!" "Oh, you think not, do you?" Miss Trofford pounced upon her pretty sister, who eyed the parcel askance with no friendly gaze. "But I say, you are coming. Of v course you hate carrying parcels, and 1 don't: only I insist on your coming too, or the Cummings .will be sure to make . some of their usual sweet remarks as I pass their, window about the 'plain ones «»f this world being the beasts of- burden ' !" " I'm all right, Jack— off you go ! You know you're thirsting for the home news es much as I am. , The ChrisMfias mail is sure to be in, so go'along, old man 1" " I don't half like leaving you." "I'm as right as a fiddle. I'll try and get a nap before you come back." And, $s if to justify his words, the sick man pulled the coverlet higher, and turned over on his narrow camp hed. With one wistful glance at his friend, Jack Marston took up his hat and gloves, and enveloped himself in his loujr coat be|fpre going out into the clear frosty efterJnoon. ' The thermometer stood at twenty degrees below zero, but the air was still, no breath of wind stirred it; the snow lay hard, crisp, and untrodden around, and already the pale clear moon rode high in the blue Canadian sky. His friend was better than lie had ever thought to see him again ; he was on the high road to recovery now, after that terrible fight with death. It only wanted three days to Christmas, and yes — the English mail was sure to (be in ; ne-ws from home might do tho patient good. So he went with long swinging strides »ci.ass, the crunching: snow, and soon -was trudging homewards laden with parcels, letters and Christmas numbers for Syd ; ■while a solitary letter and a " Sunday at Home" from a "widowed sister were all that fell to his share. "Lucky beggar, Syd, to have all these loving friends at home!" he ejaculated, as he made room for the various packages, sfcowinig them here and itfliere in Ms capacious pockets, and lastly shouldering the large bundle made up by Miss Trafford's de.ver little finders. Lucky beggar 1 N Jack's eyes grew suspiciously moist as he thought of the said " beggar's " condition them j v for he had nasfccly lost his dearest friend' a! few weeks SLgo. A loose shoe, a^tumbie of the horse's hoof in the thick turf^ and Syd had 'been thrown violently to tihe ground. The faM had stttaned him, and he had- lain- for hours in the chill night air, before his friend's search for him had proved successful, though he had set out the moment tihe riderless horse reached the little shanty. Syd was awaike when he got home with the mails, so, lighting the laanip, Jack proceeded to open tihe parcels. The contents ■were all turned over by the invalid with? feeble fingers, but soon he wearied, and leaving his friend to find places fox t!heml in. trunks and dra,wers, he fell m!to a doze. Jack moved softly about his task, amd 1 finally picked up the -wrapper and shook it out. Something fell shaarply to tine floor— something bright, which rolled from be- . tween the holLmd folds, anid', stooping, he picked up a lovely ring. A plain gold band, adorned witb a large single ruby, a lady's ring, evidently ! What Ail odd way to pack up such a valuable pre>aent' Sv-dmey slept soundly, and taking up a book, Marston began to read. The quiet hours passed, tihe sleeper never stirred, aswl every now and then the young main took the ring from his pocket and gazed at it, Jaalf fascinated*. Evidently tlhere was no> handing it over to its owner to-night, so, with a half-laugh at himself, he deposited it carefully under his own piTlow, and went to sleep. The next d&y Sydney Trafford was worse. He had a relapse, aod was a.t times lieduions, and there was no speaking on such, exciting topics as Christmas or home ; «nd the ruby ring lay day after day Jm tTack Marston's innermost poefcet. He tad no in't-entton of fceeping it, of course ; but somehow it seemed a sociable little Tin-g:, and when Syd's wandering talk was all he had to listen to, it seemed a cottiiforfc to take the little jewel from his pocket ■aid gaze into its warm, glowing heart! With the next mail oame a letter fronn Miss Traff&rd — Jack must read it aloud. Secrets? No, not Ekely there would be any secrets, it was only his own sister's letbar (with a touch of scorn.) ; besides, he had no secrets from Jack. So the *-oung> man read al^ud from the delicateltv-soeinitedi pa-?e. - t "t hope you got. your parcel safe, and thai yon will find something of use in it? Do jou know, the very day I pasted it I had a great misfortune. I lost my lovely ring — my single ruby!" " Ah !" Jack muttered between his teeth. "Go on, old mao," his friend said', qttierulously. "I muit have lost it out of doors, for I haid it on when I made up the pasreett, Sad when I came in- from posting it my ling was gone. I must have pulled it off with my glove, it) was always too large." "Too large!" thougM the reader, "TEen . yhat a tiny finger she must ha,ve!" n "Does she say what luck the 'Pytchley' had at their last run?" a*Ved Trailers*. : '-. " She doesn't mention them," stammered Jack, hastily scanning the letter. What a fool he had been not to hand over that