"Don't you know the difference
between a wedding ring and a bracelet?" Then he turned to the man, "Here
is a sovereign for your trouble, my man. Now give me my bracelet."
To his surprise the hotel-keeper put it behind his back instead of giving
it to him.
"Nay," said he, shaking his head knowingly, "you are not the gentleman
that spent the honey-moon with the lady as owns it. My mistress said I
was not to give it into no hands but hers."
This staggered Percy dreadfully, and he looked from one to another to
assist him in solving the mystery.
Bartley came to the assistance of his understanding, but with no regard
to the feelings of his heart. "It's clear enough what it means, sir; your
sweetheart is playing you false."
That went through the true-lover's heart like a knife, and poor little
Percy leaned in despair against Hope's workshop window transfixed by the
poisoned arrow of jealousy.
At this moment the voice of Colonel Clifford was heard, loud and ringing
as usual. Julia Clifford had decoyed him there in hopes of falling in
with Percy and making it up; and to deceive the good Colonel as to her
intentions she had been running him down all the way; so the Colonel was
heard to say, in a voice for all the village to hear, "Jealous is he, and
suspicious? Then you take my advice and give him up at once.
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