"I may as well be going back to New York," he said moodily. "If I meet that fellow again, I must get up some scheme for recovering the ring from him. He is a countryman and I can frighten him into giving it to me. The worst of it is, the ring is not mine, and the owner will make a fuss about it. She is inclined to be suspicious, and I shall find it hard work to explain." In a house on Lexington Avenue lived a maiden lady, close upon forty years of age, though she called herself thirty-one. Miss Josephine Harden had been left independent through the will of an aunt who had left her the sum of thirty-five thousand dollars. She had been for eight years an humble attendant, subject to the numerous whims and caprices of her relative, but two years since had been repaid by a legacy. Ever since Miss Marden had been looking about for a suitable matrimonial partner. There were some difficulties in the way, for she was thin, long-nosed, and with a yellow complexion. Three impecunious bachelors, lured by her money, had paid her some attentions, but their courage failed at last, and they silently slunk away. At length, however, Ferdinand Morris met Miss Harden, and conceived the idea of marrying her for her money. When he had once got possession of her fortune, he proposed to leave her in the lurch. Morris was a stylish-looking man, and the spinster received his attentions very favorably. She knew very little about him except that he was in some mysterious business about which he did not speak definitely, except that it required him to travel constantly. Matters progressed until they became engaged. At this point, rather reversing the usual order of things, Miss Marden gave her suitor the ring which he had now lost. "If we don't marry," she said cautiously, "I shall expect you to give it back." "Certainly, my dear Josephine," said Morris, "but I shall hold you to your promise." "You might see some girl younger and fair," said Hiss Marden coyly. "How could that be?" said Morris with mock ardor, as he bent over her hand and kissed it with secret facial contortions. "Do you doubt my love?" "I try not to, Ferdinand, but I am no longer in my first youth. I shudder to say it I am twenty nine." "You were two years older last week," thought Morris. "I--I don't feel so old," said the spinster, "but I am afraid it is a fact." "I don't believe you will ever be forty again," thought Morris. "By the way, Josephine, have you thought of that investment I spoke to you about? I can get a hundred shares of mining stock for you, at five dollars a share--the inside price--while to the general public it is only sold at ten." "It may be as you say, Ferdinand, but my aunt lost money in mining stocks, and I shall hardly dare to venture." "Confound your aunt!" said Morris to himself. "I assure you, Josephine, this is a chance to double your money in three months." "Have you invested in it yourself, Ferdinand?"