straw.

We read:

DEAR AUNT JOSEPHINE,

This is a token that I am unharmed. Have Mr. Kennedy give the ring
to the man at the corner of Williams and Brownlee Avenues at
midnight to-night, and they will surrender me to him.--ELAINE.

P. S. Have him come alone or my life will be in danger.

We looked at each other in amazement.

"I thought something like this would happen," remarked Craig at
length.

"Oh," cried Aunt Josephine, "it's too good to be true."

"We'll do it," exclaimed Kennedy quickly, "only this is the ring
that we'll give them."

He drew from his pocket the replica of the ring which he had made
and showed it to Aunt Josephine. Then he drew from another pocket
the real ring, replacing the replica.

"Here's the real one," he said in a low tone. "Guard it as you
would guard your life."

She took the ring, almost fearfully. It seemed as if nothing but