"He dared to say that?"
"Yes; and people saw you out with him."
"So they might have; but the truth was he jumped into my car and ran
away with it without my permission. That's how I came to be in the
motor with him."
"He never told me that!" exclaimed Ida. "Well, that's just like
him. Now I will tell you. It was he who forced that ring on me--and
I would not take it at first. But he made me. Then I determined to
get rid of it. I did not lose it, but I slipped it into Walter
Pennington's pocket. Oh, Cora! You know I--I do like Walter, and
I--I thought if he saw that I wouldn't keep some one else's
engagement ring that--somehow--he might send it back where it came
from, and--and--"
Her tears interrupted her. Cora did not understand.
"You put it in Walter Penniniton's pocket?" she repeated slowly.
"Why, it was found in Paul Hastings' pocket."
"Wasn't Walter dressed up like Marc Anthony?" demanded Ida, ceasing
her sobbing and looking up with wonder in her eyes.
"No. He was the clown. Paul was the Roman," and Cora began to see
how some things had come about.
"That explains it," murmured Ida. "It was a mistake! And did that
that ring actually have my initials in?"
"It is marked `I.
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