The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1882-06-01
AAG AESIl

''hiias Ruth, Major SAYS it's jes' on
ter sundown, an toie me to Ak was he
ter come out yeIe?"
Tell him III come in Cappie" Cap
spun around on her bare toes a few
times, then started slowly fer the house,
while Ruth swung idly in her hammock
in the shade Of the live oak, and ! ex-
claimed:
"Think what You are doing, Ruth.
He IS not happy q moment without you.
lie loves you 50 that the thought of not
being able to sail Hith You brings on a
fever turn, and you know he had hem
orrhage the last time you went riding
without him. His life is bound up ia
your .,,.-
and sailing no more. :"
But such devotion viii surely deceive
him.
when he came to US, with his doom
plainly written in every feature, l re-
solved that If could not nurse him back
to tie life ne SO much loves, his last
days should be as happy as possible y
Suppose he dies deceived, believing
that you loved him-believing lie?"
Don't you think when ne sees no
more through a glass darkly' that he
viii unGerstand?'
But should he recover, do you think
he would thank you for his life if you
had taken all hope and brightness from
itP''
II assure you that his happiness
should be, then as now, my first and on
ly object
"Ruth,' I exclaimed aghast, 'you
would not marry him with no love to
give him-loving another as you do!''
She raised herself slowly on her ell
bow, her beautiful brown eyes looking
steadily through the lons lashes wet
with tears, and said:
"My1fe is something that do not
prize, but by dying l cannot give him
life, so if by living can make his life
happy, why not? Whatever is for his
| happiness that l shall do. Now I'll go
and watch the sun set with him"
] sat still under the spreading branch
| es of the great old oak and watched the
| swollen river which seemed trying to
| force its way through the great wall Of
earth that confined it TO its course, and
thought of the beautiful girl who had
just left me.
When Major Grant had come to US,
sick and apparently dying, she had just
| met the first great sorrow OF her life. A
Misunderstanding had arisen between
| herself and Frank Russell. to whom she
/ had given all the loving devotion of her
warm heart, and by the interference of
| friends the lovers quarrel became Il
serious matter, and the engagement was
| broken.
She believed herself deceived and cast
aside for another. and life not worth the
! living. but she was proud, and lived on
bravely. making no moan.
Major Grant had lost his health by ex-
posure during his army life, but would
| not for moment doubt his entire re-
| covery. He was always better. He
| clung to Ruth-was never happy when
F! sue WAS absent and built castle after cas-
! tie in the air when beside her. And
ROW the two We're watching the sunset
one believing the sun of her life had
| already set in clouds and darkness, and
/ the light was fast failing for the other;
she turning in dismay and dread from
the life before her-he longing and Striy-
ing for the life that was slipping from
him.
a bunch OF gray moss swung snartly
in my face and reused me to the fact that
| the wind WAS rising. for added to the
Tuttering of the river was the moaning
of the pines. / walked hastily to the
levee. Everybody was there, working
or watching, for should jet OF water
| force It's way through undiscovered a
creyssse was certain and destruction
| sure.
There was great danger that the levee
| could not withstand the force of the wa
ter without the wind, but with gale it
seemed hopeless.
1t was g yearly danger to which every
| one had become accustomed, so that no
plans were changed, and ali amuse-
ments went on as gaily as if destruction
! did not threaten every home for miles
| around, and our nearest neigh5ors had
invited us to attend q country wedding
with them that night. Ruth hesitated
about leaving her invalid, but he urged
her to go. assuring her there was no
danger whatever; SO when we heard the
call at the gate, .'Oh, Miss Ruth, are
You readyP" we threw on our wraps
and started, gloves in hand.
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