Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1883-01-11
RUTH'S ROMANCE.
CHAPTER V.

About week after Ruth went away,
Mrs. Nugent was surprised by the re.
ceipt OF Il letter from Aunt Rachel.
~ want to ask question Of you," shewrote
| ITO make II clear to you why / ask this ques-
tion, must explain what my plans were when
| invited Ruth to visit me. Arthur Ford, the
son OF my oldest friend, is here | had hoped
that an attachment would spring up between
him and Ruth. In that case, intended toleave
| all that have to them. / spoke to Ruth about
1t, and she seemed so distressed, declaring that
1t could not be, and yet assuring me that she
was under no engagement, that am at q loss to
understand what her objections are. She likes
| Arthur very much she tells me, and know that
| he likes hers and am confident that he would
be willing to help carry out my plans. infer
| red that there was some attachment existing on
her part, about which she did not feel at liberty
to tell. You must know, if there is. am in
the dark, and ask for information. Tell me all
you know about it. Ruth will not know that
have written TO you, and your reply will be con-
sidercd confidential
| RACHEL NUGENT."
Mrs. Nugent sat and thought for some
| time after she had read her sister-in-
| laws letter.
| AT last the chance had come for Ruth
to reap benefit from Rachel Nugent's
wealth. She had only to say the word
and practically the whole property was
hers. If she were 10 do this, Mrs. Nu-
gent knew that Ruth's liberality would
enable her TO carry out her cherished
plans of living in a different style from
that which necessity tied them down to
at present.
| Il understand how ii is, Ruths step
mother said, tapping the letter angrily
against the table. She refuses this
| splendid chance because of this silly
passion for Robert Haviland. If he
could be got out of the wayr
| Mrs. Nugent sat and brooded over the
matter She knew Ruth well enough to
know that she wonld not marry this Ar
| thur Ford while her attachment for
Robert Haviland lasted. She loved
Robert, that was plain to see. She ex-
pected to marry him.
Il think / understand why she could
not tell her aunt how the case stands,
said Mrs. Nugent. If no engagement
| exists, she does not like to talk about
possible marriage with some one who
has never talked of marriage with her.
Ruth would hardly do that | know her
well enough to be sure of it,.
Before Mrs. Nugent had answered her
siSter-in laws letter, one came from
Ruth.
She spoke of Arthur Ford in enthusi-
| astic terms. As she read the letter, an
idea came to Mrs. Nugent.
In Il case like this, where so much was
at stake, she was prompt to act.
She wrote a note and sent 10 Robert
Haviland. 1t was brief:
will you call tonight? wish to see
you on Ruth's account.
That night Robert called. Mrs. MI
gent was hardly at ease. She had diff
iicult piece of work to do; difficult, be-
cause, to be satisfactory, it must be del
icately done.
You have heard from Ruth, he said,
breaking the silence that had fallen upon
them.
Yes answered Mrs. Nugent, turning
her wedding-ring round and round on
her finger, Il have heard from Ruth.
Again an embarrassing silence filled
the room. Robert began to wonder what
was coming. Something was back of
this constraint, and the uncertainty of
what it was made him nervous and rest
less.
He got up, presently, and walked
still open, and the book from which he
and Ruth had sung together stood upon
the rack. He turned few pages in an
aimless way. Then he faced Mrs. MI
gent suddenly:
You wished to see me on Ruth's ac-
COUNT he said.
Yes answered Mrs. Nugent, twist
ing her fingers nervously among the
fringe of her dress-trimmings. Il i
| don't know how to say what / suppose
/ must, she cried, with kind of des-
peration in her face and voice. Ruth
| had no right to ask me to do this. She
ought to have written to you
Mrs. Nugent had told deliberate
falsehood. She had given him to under
stand that what was to follow Ruth had
imposed upon her. The consciousness
of what she had done frightened her a
little, but she was cool enough to reflect
upon it, after it was done, as skillful
little piece of diplomacy.
| Then she has asked you to do some
thing? Am concerned in the transac-
tionp'
Robert came and stood beside her
chair. She turned her head little as if
| w uNoiu tuc llSHt. hcdllN, SHc COulu uOb
bear to meet his eyes. IL seemed as if
they must detect the falsehood and de-
ceit in what she was to say.
Yes, you are concerned answered
Mrs. Nugent Let me read you what
Ruth wrote about Mr.. Ford, first. That
| will prepare you, as it did me, for what
follows
Mrs. Nugent congratulated herself on
another creditable bit of fnesse. She
had given him to understand that Ruth IS
letter proceeded Aunt Rachel's. She
read what Ruth had written about Ar
thur Ford.
You see how enthusiastic she is over
himp'
Yes answered Robert, gravely.
Now will read you part of hel
aunt's letter, said Mrs. Nugent, un
folding the sheet with nervous fingers
oh, Mr.. Havilandr with little gesture
of disgust, as If the affair was rcpulsiv,
to her, you won't blame me for this
You can't, since It has been forced up
on me. As said, Ruth ought not t
have asked it of me. You were the on,
for her to go to-