Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1883-01-25
RUTH'S ROMANCE.
CHAPTER VIII.


and IL was plain To see that between them there
existed IA strong friendship from the beginning
10 was easy for such friendship To ripen int
love, when circumstances threw them into eacl
others company almost constantly. So urged
Aunt Rachel.
She had watched Ruth closely after the re
ceipt OF Mrs Nugent's letter. For the first
few days there had been traces of o struggle
with herself in Ruth's face, which eyes sharpen
ed by a knowledge of the facts could easily de,
tect. But Arthur, ignorant of il all, never sus.
pected what made the girl more grave and
thoughtful than she had seemed at first. II
might be phase of her character which he was
discoveringfor the first time,
Ruth had fought her battle bravely, and
come oil conqueror-that Is, in a degree.
There was sore spot In her heart yet, and ID
seemed TO her there always must be. But she
had developed strength enough TO rise above
her disappointment, and face the truth UNI
flinchingy. She could fight the battle of life
single-handcd Because she was woman, she
would not sit down idle. Because so many wonl-
en- shrank from doing 1.-THE work they might
do, and the work they ought to do, she be-
lieved, she would take her fortune bravely in
her own hands, and prove to the world that she
was not like them. She had living to earn.
She would earn IL like a woman
As the days went by and her month of rest
drew near its end, she became conscious that
what she had hoped against, had happened
Arthur loved her.
Perhaps II seems strange to some reader that
this young woman, who had been deceived In
the man she loved, should hope against being
loved by a man she firmly believed to be the
soul of truth and honor. 1t was not at all
strange that Ruth should do this. 1t was the
most natural thing in the world for her to do.
She had not that kind of heart which can love
one man to-day, and another man tomorrow.
She had respect and friendship for Arthur, but
she had no love To give him. That had been
given to Robert Haviand.
The knowledge that Arthur loved her brought
H.. .....l 4. n -. 4
say no to his offer, if il came and she knew it
would, troubled her Because her own heart
had been hurt so cruelty, she was tenderly con-
siderate of the hearts OF others.
Once, and once only, she asked herself If Il
was necessary that she should say no to Ar
thurs plea. She could give him complete trust,
and as much respect as she could have given
Robert II he had become her husband. And
aunt Rachel wished it. But her heart, sternly
true to its sense of honor, said No! She had
no love to give. No woman had any right to
marry man she did not love- II she did so,
she wronged the man she married, and was
guilty before God.
They were climbing one of the great hills
that clasped hand with other hills, and made a
circle TO grid Winsted in from the outside
world, when Arthur told her that he loved her.
and asked her to be his wife.
They had come to fallen tree halfway up
the slope
"Lct us rest" Ruth said ats hard work
TO climbn
at is, if you climb alone" responded Arthur.
"You have persisted in refusing all my offers
of assistance
81 like TO feel that am not dependent on
anyone but myself" answered Ruth.
OF course ii affords one certain sort of
satisfaction TO feel that he is not obliged to de-
pend on anyone but himself; but think all of
us like TO be helped by somebody else" Arthur
said. ut may not be because we need the
help, but there is sense OF sympathy and COM
radeship in it which it is natural for everyone
to long after. We don't like TO go alone.d
NO" she said, looking down the hill into the
quiet OF the valley. "We do not like to go
alone. But many OF us must.n She said this
like one talking to herself, and grave shadow
gathered in her eyes. There were times when
she looked ahead and saw the way she must 90
in loneliness; and the prospect was drcary She
was looking down the path now. 1t seemed,
drearier than ever, She shivered when she
thought of the times that would come, when
she grew weary and longed for a strong arm TO
lean upon. To put out ones hand and find
nothing! The thought brought look Of pain
into her face.
Ruth" Arthur said, sitting down beside her,
II made up my mind this morning to tell you
that l love you. What better time than this! /
do love you, and want you for my wife. MAY
have you, Ruths Shall we CLIMB the hill to-
getheri'
"Oh, Arthurp' she cried, and her eyes filed
with tears, as she looked into the honest face
that was turned so hopefully to hers. II am
sorry, very sorry, that you ever asked this
II cannot be rs You would have it,
The eager, confident light died suddenly out
of his face.
"Do you mean it, RUTH" he asked, brokenly.
eyes, or would not have said it, che an
swered. ~ have, in al. the world, no dearer
friend than you. If ever need help shall turn
to you first of all. But have not that love to
Civ you which woman should give the man
she marries."
He turned his face to the hill-tops across the
on1t 6ara a.f,,.
between them.
She was the first to break Il.
"Perhaps ought to tell you why mean to
climb the hill alone" she said. "But-I would
rather not. Only thought You had more Of
right to know than any one else"
u do not ask you to tell Inc anything he
said. lit does not matter why you have deter
mined to climb alone, IL that determination can
not be changed, and you cannot climb with
me.n
"Then will not tell you,n she said "But /
viii tell you this,s Arthur, for no man living
have more regard than for you. VIII that
make the disappointment any the less hard to
btarf l shall always consider you as my best
"Well, we viii be friends, then, if we cannot
be more to each other" he said, and held out
his hand to her. II had hoped and then he
shut his lips together, as IL to keep back the
words which would struggls up to them for OK
preston. Since he had hoped in vain, what use
TO talk of it.
'And so have Others" she said, as she laid
her hand in his warm clasp. And from the way
she said 1t, he knew that back of her refusal lay
reason that was full of sorrow and pain.
They went down the hill-Iath silently. Neither
cared to talk. There are some troubles which
can best be born in silence This was one of
them.
Arthur's face had such grave disappointed
look in it-so unlike its usual light heartedness
that Ruth's eyes would fill when she looked
at 1t. fragment of an old song came to her.
''The tender heart, the true heart
Is light as any feather;
But it is faithful to its own
In any kind of weather"
ellis heart would be true, | know she
thought; 'ohl If Robert had been as truel"
Aunt Rachel stood on the piazza when they
came up the path.
IL have planned and failed" she said, when
she had looked into their faces, and turned
away with bitter feeling of disappointment.
CHAPTER TX.
Aunt Rachel and Ruth were together alone
in the quiet of the old sitting-room, next day.
Arthur had taken his gun and gone away after
breakfast.
well" Aunt Rachel said, ''is there anything
20 tell, Ruth!"
Her tone was not one Of hopeful expectancy;
rather of accepted disappointment. Ruth was
Nugent; with them, no meant no. They were
not likely TO reconsider their words. They con-
sidered well before they spoke them. That had
always been characteristic OF the family.
mot much," answered Ruth, coming and
standing behind her aunt's chair, and letting
her hands pass softly over her thin gray locks.
Arthur asked me to marry him yesterday.
That is all.
."All" Aunt Rachel uttered the word with
a little sound of bitterness In It, "Alll-was
that not muphIii