STORY OF A GOLD KING. 189 



mon, in a fog, was lost, with her footman and two boat-men. 

 Seven o'clock came, and William Massey having handed 

 his bride elect to table, sat at the head of the hospitable 

 board around which were assembled twenty people, and 

 proceeded to carve the salmon which we had so recently 

 killed. Upon placing the fish knife near the gills to take 

 off the first cut of the head, it grated upon some unyield- 

 ing substance, which prevented his making the proper 

 incision in the fish, whereupon he took a fork and drew 

 out from a bed, which it had formed for itself beneath the 

 gills, a solid gold finger ring, with the word "pure" 

 stamped upon the inside of it. It was handed about as a 

 curiosity, and it was whispered at the table that it was one 

 of the rings of the former Mrs. Massey ; but this her husband 

 denied aloud ; and eventually his sister, the Honourable 

 Mrs. Drew, took possession of it, and I doubt not has it 

 safe at Drewsborough at this moment." 



"How the deuce could it have come there?" said the 

 Baron. 



" That's not easily accounted for," replied the Priest. 

 " Still I think it can be readily imagined that the same 

 description of fish, which is found in almost every stream 

 which they frequent, to rise at and attempt to swallow a 

 showy tassel made of tinsel and bright feathers, should rush 

 with similar greediness at a glittering gold ring, pushed 

 rapidly along the course of the river by the impetuosity of 

 the water, and that being unable to swallow it, or to eject it 



