Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1883-01-18

there, not because there was anythinI
to come to. If the paths that part her
never meet again, be assured that 20
are not entirely forgotten by Rober
Haviland' Not word Of regret tina
the paths must part,-not a word 3
him that he had ever cherished hop
that they might run on together: An
then the cold concluding words, ever
one of which was an icicle to stab he
heart,-'be assured that you are not en-
tirely forgotten by Robert Haviland.
She was to believe that he would re
member her, as we look back perhaps
and think of places where we have been
or hooks we have read, the name O
which is all that stands out distinctly il
memory. He would think of her as ;
woman he once knew. Not rs Ruth
the woman he loved, the one woman II
the world to him. simply as n woman
he had known, Ruth Nugent by name
He had not even subscribed himself hel
friend. Simply as Robert Haviland
1t all went To tell her in terms as plair
as words, that the friendship between
them was ended. Henceforth they were
to be nothing to each other.
/ van ~ Dts ChC HdAu III NNANO ~
strange and hollow that the sound of il
startled her. Have been so mistaken
in himp Or am in dream-a horri-
bic. nightmare dreamp'
She pulled stem of pinks from the
grassy border at her feet. Yes-the
pinks were real flowers, could feel
them, smell them. She was not dream
ing, then.
There must be some mistake, she
said, slowly, refusing to be convinced.
He could not have deceived me so. l
would have sworn that he was truth it.
self-the soul of manhood. But
Then sho let her eyes wander back to
the letter on her knee. From its
crumpled pages the words seemed fash
ing at her like ice in the sunshine of n
winters day. Ice sometimes gives n
sensation of heat. 1t was so with these
icy letters. They burnt themselves in
to her brain.
How long she sat there she never
knew She had vague consciousness
that the sun was going down the west
ern sky-that it was lingering for a
moment above the hills-that it was
gone. She remembered that bird
sang in the lilacs as the dusk of twilight
fell, and she was conscious of wonder
ing whether it was robin or a lark,
and if its nest was somewhere near.
And across the river, in the meadows
where the clover had been gathered,
she heard the tinkle of bells. Then,
coming close behind these sounds, she
heard Aunt Rachel and Arthur calling
hnp Che did fhn,,
they searched for her in vain. When it
was dark, she went up to her room.
Presently, Aunt Rachel opened the door
and looked in.
You are here, are you?' she said.
we have been frightened about you.
Are you sick, Ruthp'
No, no!-only leave me to myself.
Ruth said. And Aunt Rachel. who felt
sure she knew what the trouble was,
shut the door and went away.
CHAPTER VII.
1t was a long and sleepless night to
Ruth. Over and over to herself she
repeated the words of the letter which
had come to her like thunder bolt out
of an unclouded sky.
Perhaps she ought not to have been
so sure of what Roberts intentions
were, she told herself, in vain attempt
to extenuate his conduct. Perhaps no
woman ought to take it for granted that
a man intends marriage until he declares
such to be his intentions. But women
always have taken things for granted,
and men, too; and any woman would
have believed that Robert meant more
than friendship. She had not been
duped any more easily than others
would have been, if his attentions had
been given to them instead of her.
Then, after awhile, the first tumult of
passion died out, and reaction set in.
She had thought only of her disappoint
ment and her loss. Now pride-sorely-
wounded pride-began to assert itself.
He had deceived her. He had lied to
her in every tender little speech that
she had foolishly supposed to pean so
much, and meant simply nothing. He
had lied to her in loving chances that
had stirred her woman heart TO swifter
beating, and very likely he had laughed
at her credulity behind her back. The
thought brought hot wave of anger to
her face.
He is unworthy my regret, she said,
with passionate gesture of her head.
He is unworthy of any woman's regret.
And yet
She dropped her head upon the table,
and bitter tears came. And yet, I'M
worthy as he was, she had loved him
God pity her-.she loved him still.
Ruth Nugent, arc you fool?' she
cried, angrily, dashing the tears from
her eyes, and raising her head with a
| defiant look in her face. will you take
this mans conduct-this mans coward
| ly treatment of you-so to heart, that
| you shun other men and women, like
one who has received death wound,
and cares only to creep away and dieE
No! bear it as a woman should, who has
pride enough to resent such treatment. "
Ruth had all trusting woman's ten.
derness of nature, and she had plenty
of pride. Once aroused, it would tide
her over the flood which had swept Sc
suddenly about her feet, and for time
threatened TO overwhelm her. Feeling
a sense of cruelest wrong at his hands
she called upon that pride, and it came
to her rescue.
The next morning she came down &c
breakfast with face tri1e paler thar
Arthur had ever seen it before, but thai
was all that told of the struggle she haC
passed through, except, perhaps, tia
she was Graver and quieter than usual
Aunt Rachel looked at her keenly
She has fought it out with herself, sht
| thoupht poor Ruthi You are no