Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-08-07

/ AASANN
when she remembered that the heirs OF the
old SQUIRE, whoever they were, were said
to be abroad, and that Lawyer Dent was
their agent. s'New men, new measures,
she said, and stopped at the gate with a
beating heart. ''What if l am driven off =
But the thought of her sick mother, and
of the empty cupboard, made her desper-
ate. She lifted the latch and went in.
The reapers were sweeping on ahead. III
long, graceful line; others, far behind,
were binding up sheayes; and an overseer,
or, what seemed one, was on horseback,
directing operations. Ruth began IN
corner near the gate, far away from the
rest She looked furtively now and then
toward the overseer, and seeing that he
had noticed her, yet did not'interfere, she
gathered courage. If she could have seen
herself then in mirror, though the least
vain Of her sex, she would have been star
tied by her own beauty. Excitement had
given IA bright glow to her cheeks, and an
event increased brilliancy to her eyes,
Her half rustic attire, coarse as it Was,
was admirably adapted to set off her fine
figure; her white arms shown dazzingly :
every movement was grace.
Suddenly Il harsh voice behind her cried.
s.Nonsense of that. Throw down your
sickle. Well have no thieves here"
Ruth dropped her sickle, tremoling all
over, and looked around. Lawyer Dent
stood there, also on horseback, and his
whip was raised menacingly. Ruth shrank
back; her knees gave way under her !; the
| harvest field SWAN around her she grew
blind; she thought she was dying. She
had but one feeling, one thought, the man
was about to strike her. Oh the degra-
dation of it, worse even than his words of
| insult.
''But she did not faint just as every
thing whirled diZzily around her, just as
she was losing consciousness, the quick
thud of horse was heard galloping over
the stubble, and q stern voice addressed
Lawyer Dent.
"What are you saying to this girl 2" it
cried angrily. mot telling her to go away
How dare you? Didn't you know my
uncle always allowed this: ay and the
Greshams from time immemorial. Thank
God we have never ground the faces Of
the poor. / saw you raise your whip
threatingly, if Pm not mistaken. By
Jove! if you were not an older man than
myself, | would thrash you within an
inch of your life"
All of sudden, the angry voice cease d
+o Il
ed her in tones as soft as a woman's.
MY poor child" it said, 'dont mind
Dent, am master here. Take up your
sickle and cut as much wheat--''
He stopped suddenly. Ruth, tup to this
point, had stood, with bowed figure, half
unconscious, her gaze bent, i'll shame, on
the ground: but touched by these kind
words, and even more, by the tones she
lifted her eyes, full of tears, and gazed at
the speaker.
In that look there was something that
both thrilled and abashed the beholder-
Young Gresham, for such was the horse
man, was one of the handsomest men of
his day, and he was accustomed to admlra-
ton; but Rutf's glance seemed to say,
''Surely, you are more than human; you
are some knight Of cfivalry, come to res
cue me from a foul enchanter." 1t was
this that thrilled him with a strange, wild
feeling Of happiness, such us no Womans
glance had ever before awakened. But on
the other hand, instead of finding himself
in the presence OF village rustic, as he
had expected, and as the dress led him till
this very moment to believe, he beheld, to
his amaZement, Il face not only OF rare
beauty, but one Of instinct with that in
herited, as well as acquired refinement,
which for want of a better word, is called
high-bred. This he saw at once, was no
mere village girl, but d young princess IN
diguse. And he had offered such one
aims! He had spoken to her as If she was
a mental His usual ease of manner had
failed him He sat there, dumb as If HIM
self the culprit.
Ruth broke the spell
ooh, sir ~ she cried, with q sob clasp
ing her hands and looking up at him i'm
ploringly. II meant no harm. l used to
see other people do what l did. And
and-we were both starvng-mother and
Young Mr.. Gresham turned aside for a
moment, to brush away tear. Looking
up he saw DENTS eyes fastened upon him,
! and there was a sheer on the lawyers
| face.
The young man colored angrily.
''Rde on, if you please, Sir" he said
sternly to the lawyer. II have something
to say to this young lady alone"
The lawyer obeyed, feeling perhaps, that
he had gone too far, and wishing he had
never seen Ruth.
Then young Gresham lifting his bat to
Ruth, as if she had been Il princess, said :
i II beg u Thousand pardons. l shall set
tie with Dent to-day, and discharge him.
Believe Inc, l would not, for worlds, that
this happened"
ooh, sir don't, on my account quarrel
with him. cried tender-hearted Ruth
''He was only doing what he thought his
duty. Besides, besides"
s'Besides what ~ kindly.
'eBesdes lie holds q mortgage on our
| cottage, ana IL might make INN llafdef on
us than ever"
mortgage on your COTTAGE Is it," he
said, as if sudden light had broken on
him, s:the little house down in the mead
oW 20 A mute nod of assent was the re-
ply. ''Then | am talking to Miss Hunter.
You don t, you don't mean to say that the
rascal has been threatening you about
that ?"
''He is to sell us out next month"; an
swered Ruth, looking down, and feeling