Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1883-02-15
RUTH'S ROMANCE.
CHAPTER XIV.


CHAPTER XIV.
One day when Ruth came to the "shop''
Rhoda Wier met her in the hall.
There's a gentleman inside that's been in
curing for YOU" she said.
at must be Arthur" cried Ruth, and full of
pleasurable excitement, she opened the door and
looked In.
Yes, it was Arthur. She ran to him with out
stretched hands. The sight of his face was
like breath of Winsted air.
81 am so glad to see you'll" she cried. "You
ion't know how glad, Arthur
~ am glad of that, Ruth" he said, smiles
getting the better Of his gravity. ''l'm glad to
see how well you are looking, too. Work seems
toagree with you. This is your workshop, they
tell me-
"Yes, this is my workshop" answered Ruth,
''or rather-excuse me, girs-our workshop.
You see before you the COMPANY Let me in
troduce you to the firm of Nugent & Co."
u shall be happy to have you" answered Ar
, thur; and accordingly he was presented TO
the individual members of the thrifty Com
pany."
81 move that 'the head" be allowed holi-
day." said Rhoda Wier. "All in favor of that
move-ahem beg pardon-that motion, will
respond with the usual sign"
All voted AYE" Arthur taking the liberty of
doing so, too.
Carried" announced Miss wier. "Miss
Nugent, you are at liberty to get just as much
pleasure out of the day and your visitor as you
possibly can. Benedicite!"
THANK you, girls" Ruth said, gratefully.
1t was not so much the holiday that she cared
for. She knew she could have that without
consulting the Others. But the thoughtful
kindness which prompted the suggestion of 1t
touched her.
This seems to be kind of ssterly firm"
Arthur said, as they went out. "Does love
settle all disputesl"
''We never have any Disputes said Ruth.
"Then your firm must be unlike any l have
ever known, made up OF the stronger sex !;
laughed Arthur. "How do you avoid theml"
I'VE pull together, answered Ruth.
There is a subtitle meaning in that definition,
quite as deep TO me as some of the Concord
philosophy" said Arthur, as he tucked her
arm In his, and they strolled down the avenue
OF trees In the little square opposite the 'shop."
lyon shall explain 1t TO me at your leisure, and
then shall know what to do to make my sex
harmonic when it is in company"
"Ihe secret shall be made plain to YOU"
laughed Ruth.
Ruth" cried Arthur abruptly-the burden
Of his mission was heavy upon him. and he
could not feel easy until he was relieved of it
II want TO know why you broke off your in
timacy with Robert Haviland as you did Don't
think ask this out of any idle curiosity. l
have better motive than that in doing it,"
grown grave with pain He had probed the
wound in her heart with his question, and 1t
bled afresh.
II did not break off the intimacy that had
existed between us, she answered. ale did
that himself. Why, l don't know, unless-un-
less he had grown tired OF II, and the amuse-
ment 1t afforded him.
Arthur looked at her In bewilderment
do you tell me that it was not broken of at
your requestf he asked.
|
first intimation that had Of its ending came
TO me In goodbye message from Robert Hav-
Hand"
"And you had not asked your step.mother to
90 TO him, and ask release from the tacit
claims he had upon your
81 never asked my step-mother or any one
else, TO go toto Robert Haviland on any mis-
sion for me" Ruth answered. "Why Arthur"
deeply she felt what she uttered "would be
likely to do that when loved him better than
any one else in all the worldf'
Then consciousness of the confession she
had made came to her, and her checks became
hot with shame. And yet-she lifted her hand
with sudden gesture of pride as the thought
came-what had she done 10 be ashamed or
II don't understand it at ALL" Arthur said,
using the same words he had used when he
and Robert was talking about the matter. IL
never knew, until a week ago, that Robert
Haviland and you had known each other. We
When ! came back from my summering out
West, / showed him the picture had just re-
ceived from you. Then learned that he had
known you, and loved you. And he thinks
that you asked to be freed from the claims he
had upon you. He told me that your step.
mother sent for him, and he went to see her,
and she told him that Aunt Rachel had planned
that you and should marry, and that you were
favorable TO the plan, but you felt bound in
honor to him, unless he saw fit to release you
existed between you, you could not
ask such release, but delegated her tc
ask for you. Believing that you were not the
woman he had thought you to be, he wrote you
afew lines that gave you to understand thai
he relinquished all claims. That is Robert
Haviland's story. How do you explain It'll
Ruth was silent for some time: then
81 can only explain It in one way" she said
my stepmother must have found outflow
do not know-what Aunt Rachel's plans were
She never liked Robert She told me / wa
foolish to care for q one-armed man withou
money, when might do better. In marryin,
as Aunt Rachel wished me 10, l could do bet
ter In her way Of thinking. She must hav
done what you say Robert told you she did, ex
pecting or at least hoping, that when the init
macy between him and myself was broken on
would marry you and thus secure Aun
Rachels wealth / never suspected that sh
had anything TO do with 1t before, but now.
understand what she meant by certain remark
and believe that through her agency wa
wrought the trouble that came TO us. 1thardl
seemed possible, though, that awoman woul
be capable of doing such work."
~ think you have guessed the truth" sal
Arthur. "Poor Ruth poor Robertl But ate
the rain, sunshine. II will all come right 9
last, aud fate has made me the instrument {
effecting It's purpose. Pm glad OF thatV' an
the look 10 Arthur's face told how true and III
selhsA his friendship was.
"After the rain, sunshine" Ruth heard =
more than that She repeated the words sof
ly, as II there was prophecy, promise
them OF happiness TO come.
They went back up the avenue OF elms slowl
saying little. Ruth was too busy, too bewi
dered with her many thoughts TO care to tai
much Just then.
At last
"You don't know how hard II was TO thir
Robert lacking in honor and truth. believe
am as glad to know that l was mistaken
thinking that, as am 10 hopewe may befrien'
again."
Her eyes were bright with woman's faith
the man she loves. Confidence had come bac
The Robert of old times-the Robert che h,