A Ring of Rubies

sore."

  "It must be awfully interesting and exciting," responded Lady Ursula.

  "It is both. At the same time it is cruel; it stabs horribly."

  "Ah."

  Lady Ursula looked me all over from head to foot.

  "Then you don't want money to-day," she said suddenly.

  "Yes, I do."

  "As badly as you did last night?"

  "I think so. Yes, I believe I want it quite as badly."

  "Then you will sell your ring; if the want of money stabs and is cruel,you will take what opportunity offers. For the sake of a sentiment youwon't refuse to enrich yourself, and remove the pain which you speak ofas so bitter."

  "I won't sell my ring," I said. "I am sorry to disoblige you, LadyUrsula, but the question is not one which leaves any room forconsideration. I want my ring back. Will you give it to me, please?"

  I really don't know how aristocratic girls are brought up. I supposethey have a totally different training from girls who live in cottages,and are very poor. There is compensation in all things, and no doubt ifself-denial is a virtue the cottage girl has a chance of acquiring itwhich is denied to the maid who inhabits the palace.

  If I never performed any other mission, I shall always feel that I wasthe first person who did for Lady Ursula Redmayne the inestimableservice of saying "No" to a strong desire.

  It took this beautiful young woman several moments to realise that sheabsolutely could not have her way; that the humble and poor cottage girlwould not part with her legitimate property.

  When Lady Ursula realised this, which she did after a considerable andfatiguing discussion, she sat silent for a moment or two. Then shejumped up and looked out of the window. She pulled aside the softrose-coloured silk curtains to take this peep into the outer world. Hereager dark eyes looked down the street and up the street. For all herlanguor she was now fully alive and even quick in her movements. With apettish action she let the rose curtains cover the window again, andgoing to the fireplace pressed the button of an electric bell.

  In a moment an elderly woman dressed in black silk, with a book-muslinapron, and a white cap with long streamers of lace, appeared.

  "Nurse," said Lady Ursula, "please give orders that I am not at home toany callers this morning."

  "I will attend to the matter, my lady," answered the nurse. "But ifCaptain Valentine calls?"

  "I am not at home--I make no exception."

  The nurse respectfully withdrew, and the door, which opened into thetapestry, was noiselessly closed.

  "Now," said Lady Ursula, turning to me, "I am going to confide in you,Miss Lindley."

  I felt quite cross. I was dying to be home with mother and Jack, andwondering if my poor new sister Hetty was being starved by Mrs Ashton.

  Lady Ursula looked at me with an expression which seemed to say--

  "Now you are having an honour conferred on you."

  In reply to it, I rose to my feet, and I think some of the crossness inmy heart got into my face.

  "Thank you," I said, "but I have only a moment to give you. My brotheris dangerously ill at home, and I must go back as soon as possible."

  Lady Ursula slightly raised her delicate brows.

  I think she scarcely heard what I said about my brother.

  "Do sit down," she said, "I won't keep you a moment. What a queer girlyou are! but very refreshing to meet. Now do sit down. You can't go,you know, until you get your ring. Miss Lindley, I must confide mystory to you. I am engaged."

  I bowed my head very slightly.

  "To Captain Rupert Valentine. He is in the Guards. Would you like tosee his photograph?"

  I murmured something. Lady Ursula stretched out her hand to a tablewhich stood near, took up a morocco case, which she opened, and showedme the dark, slightly supercilious face of a handsome man of aboutthirty.

  "Don't you admire his expression?" she said. "Isn't it firm? Doesn'the look like the sort of hero a girl would be proud to obey?"

  "That depends on the girl," I answered.

  "Good gracious, there isn't a girl in the kingdom who would not be proudto be engaged to Rupert Valentine."

  "I hope you will be very happy, Lady Ursula."

  "There is not the least doubt on that point. We are to be marriedimmediately after Christmas. Now comes the real point of my confidence.Rupert gave me an engagement ring exactly like yours, so like, thatonly the closest observer could detect a difference. The ring belongedto his mother, and he valued it above all other earthly things."

  "Yes," I said; I was really interested at last.

  "Yesterday I lost the ring. I don't know how. I was out driving, and Imay have pulled it off with my glove when I was shopping. I went toMadame Leroy's among other places. When I came back my ruby ring wasgone. I cannot conceive how it vanished. I went very nearly mad on thespot, I really did. I dared not face Rupert, and tell him hisengagement ring was lost. All search was made for its recovery, but invain. Nurse took the carriage round, and went from shop to shop to tryand get some trace of it. In the end she visited Madame Leroy. I wasto meet Rupert at a friend's house last night. While nurse was atMadame Leroy's your ring was brought in. Imagine her astonishment andrapture! Here was a mode of deliverance for me in case my own ring wasnever recovered. I wore your ruby ring last night, Miss Lindley, andCaptain Valentine noticed it, and said that beautiful as he had alwaysknown his mother's rubies to be, he had never seen them flash as theydid on my finger last night. How relieved I felt, and how certain thatyou would let me buy the ring from you. You will, now that I haveconfided my trouble to you, won't you?"

  "I am sorry," I said, "but I must repeat the words I have used alreadyso often. I cannot part with the ruby ring. It was left to me by anold cousin of mine, and when I received it I was particularly requestednever to part with it. I am sorry for you, Lady Ursula, but I must askyou to give me my ring, and let me go."

  Lady Ursula put her hands behind her.

  "You are a cruel, selfish girl," she said angrily.

  "No, Lady Ursula, I am not cruel. The world, which has been so gentleto you, has blown many hard rough winds on my face, but they have nevermade me cruel. And as to being selfish, why should I part with my oneewe-lamb?"

  "Oh, dear!" said Lady Ursula.

  She rose from her seat, and began to pace up and down the room. Inoticed that she was a tall, largely-made girl, and could be as vigorousand energetic as any one when she chose. She clenched her dainty handsnow and spoke with passion. "I repeat that you are cruel and selfish,"she said. "I know that you can plead your cause well; for I suppose youare clever, and have doubtless been educated at one of those detestableHigh Schools. But let me tell you that however you argue the point youare actuated by cruel motives. What _can_ that ring matter to you? andif I don't get it, most likely my engagement will be broken off. Thus,you see, you will have ruined my life."

  "Lady Ursula," I said, "it is _you_ now who are cruel. I have my ownreasons for wishing to retain my own trinket, and surely the only rightand honourable thing for you to do is to tell Captain Valentine of yourloss. If he is the least worthy of your affection, he will, of course,overlook what was only an unfortunate accident."

  "No, he never will--he never, never will. You don't know what hethought of that ring. I'd rather never see him again than tell him thathis mother's ruby ring was lost."

  "Well, I am truly sorry for you. But I don't see my way to helpingyou."

  "Listen. Hire me the ring for a week--only for a week, and I will giveyou thirty pounds."

  I must admit that this proposal staggered me. I thought of Jack, andthe stolen twenty pounds. I thought of Monday morning, when thediscovery of the theft would be made known. I thought of the agony, thedishonour; I saw my mother's face as it would look when the news wasbrought to her that her son was a thief. Yes, thirty pounds could domuch good just then; it would save Jack, and it would give me funds toattend to Hetty's wants.

&nb
sp; Lady Ursula saw the hesitation in my face.

  "Give me one week's grace," she said. "My own ruby ring may be foundbefore the week is up."

  She opened a little exquisitely inlaid secretary, and began to pull outof a secret drawer notes and gold. She made a pile of them on thetable--four five-pound notes, ten sovereigns. The yellow of thesovereigns seemed to mix with the rose-coloured tone of the room. Igazed at them as if they fascinated me. I half held out my hand toclose over them, and then drew it back again.

  "You will take the money--you want it, I know you do," said Lady Ursula.

  "But even if I do you will be no better off at the