Captain Valentine, who had fidgeted on his chair, and seemed more or less on thorns during the recital of Lady Ursula's story, now jumped up, and went over to the window to look out. He had only a view of Mrs Ashton's back-yard, and surely the sight could not have been inspiriting. Lady Ursula, whose eyes were full of tears, bent forward to kiss me. I put my two arms around her neck and gave her a hug. I could not help it. I forgot all about her title and her grandeur--she was just a girl, like any other girl, to me at that moment. "Now I have something to say," she continued in a changed voice. "Neither Rupert nor I want your ruby ring, but we are very curious to see it again, for Rupert has a story to tell you about it." "A story to tell me about my own ring," I inquired. "Well, yes," said Captain Valentine, returning, and speaking slowly. "It so happened that during the week, when Ursula lived in such terror of me, that she was obliged to hire a ring to prevent my righteous vengeance falling on her head,"--he laughed merrily as he spoke, and Lady Ursula gave his hand a vicious pinch,--"during that week," he continued, "I noticed that the central ruby of the ring was a little loose. I took it to my jeweller's to have it more firmly riveted. I therefore had full opportunity of carefully examining your ring, Miss Lindley, and I can declare that it is in every particular precisely similar to the one Lady Ursula has lost." "Similar, perhaps, but a different ring," I retorted. "Precisely, a different ring, but one of a pair. I think I can tell you some of the early history of your own ring, Miss Lindley." "Please, Rosamund, admit that you are very much excited and thrilled with interest," interrupted Lady Ursula. "I am interested, undoubtedly," I replied. "Please tell me the story, Captain Valentine." "My great-great-grandmother," he began at once, "came from the West Indies, and brought with her, amongst much valuable gold, some rubies of great price. Two of the largest and most precious of the rubies were set in rings of very curious workmanship. I believe the rest of the gems, with the exception of a few smaller rubies which were used in perfecting the rings, were sold to meet a financial difficulty in our family. These rings were given by my great-grandmother to her sons, with the request that they should be handed down as heirlooms, and worn as betrothal rings by the girls who should marry their direct descendants. The rings were made in a very unique fashion, and had a certain spring which could open at the back, and contain hair or some other tiny relic. Do you mind fetching your ruby ring and letting me look at it once again, Miss Lindley?" "I will fetch it of course," I replied. I ran off at once, my heart beating fast with wonder and curiosity. Hetty's eyes devoured my face when I rushed into our bedroom. "I am having a delightful time," I said, "everything is going on splendidly."