e of her
personal friends and acquaintances; for her character stood too high in
the place for any of the less respectable sort to venture to intrude
themselves upon her.

"Well, Betsy," cried one, "you've got a pretty keepsake there; let's
have a look at it."

The other's only reply was to take off the ring and offer it for
inspection. As it was passed from hand to hand, various exclamations
were uttered: "Eh, it's a bonny stone!"--"I never seed the like in all
my born days!"--"It's fit for the Queen's crown!"--"Where did you get
it, Betsy?"--"Her young man gave it her, of course!"--"Nay, you're wrong
there," said another; "he's got more sense than to spend his brass on
such things as that,--he's saving it up for a new clock and a
dresser!"--"Come, Betsy, where did you get it?"

"You'll never guess, so it's no use axing," said Betsy, laughing. "It
ain't mine; but it'll be mine till its proper owner comes and claims
it."

"Oh, you picked it up as you was coming to the mill!"

"Ah yes!" cried another; "like enough it's been dropped by the vicar's
lady, or by some one as has been staying at the vicarage!"

"You're wrong there," replied Betsy; "I didn't find it, and nobody's
lost it exactly."

"Well, I never!" cried several, and then there was a general move
towards their different homes.

Betsy continued wearing the ring for the next day or two, and always
dexterously parried any attempt to find out how she came by it. Odd
stories began to fly about on the subject, and work-people from other
mills came to have a look at the ring, Betsy being always ready to
gratify any respectable person with a sight of it. But still she
persisted in refusing to tell how it had come into her possession. At
last, one afternoon, just as the mills were loosing, one of the railway
clerks came up to her, and said,--

"Are you looking out for an owner to that ring you're wearing? I've
been told something of the sort."

"I ain't been exactly looking out," was the reply; "but I shall be quite
ready to give it up when I'm sure it's the right owner as wants it."

"Well, I've a shrewd guess I know whose it is," said the young man.

"Indeed! And who may that be?"

"Oh, never mind just now; but, please, let me look at the ring."

She took it from her finger and handed it to him. He examined it
carefully, and then nodding his head, with a smile on his lips, said,
"I'll be bound I've had this ring in my hands before."

"It's