The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-09-12
20 I shall not do it again." Ruth
cried; I'D sooner go through a wilder

"But that is not the shortest way" he
went on; sit is much nearer by the
coach-house. Here-let me show you"
"Oh, I couldn't think of troubling
you. Thank you, but you'll get wet
yourself.
"Since 1 have undertaken it," n
swered Mr.. Hale, as if apologizing to
himself for his concession; and with the
words he spread his neat umbrella and
walked with her. 1t was only two min
utes. The path he took was shorter,
and Miss Bennett hurried oil she could.
She spoke no word till she reached the
Alexander hedge; then she said as hasti-
ly: Il am very much obliged-and-I
shall not trespass again"
"a pretty little girl" Mr.. Hale said,
to himself as he watched her dying
toward the shelter of tue porch. MRS.
Alexandcr's %governess! HUMP But
what this last word meant in his
thought he could hardly have told.
Peraps it only reminded him that his
three motherless children would soon
be needing n
Miss Bennett" Mrs. Alexander said
q week later" where did you meet Mr..
Hale? He seems to know you; and
last night at the garden party he
deigned to say that if it would save you
time and fatigue, you might go through
the park. He has noticed you. per-
haps coming up from tine village
And when Ruth had told her story, she
lifted her eyebrows a little. tits a
concession-a great concession from
him." she said.
"But I don't want it," cried Ruth,
I'D rather so miles around now. You
can't think how his manner Inundated
me. l felt as though I'd committed the
objectionable SIM"
Mrs Alexander smiled at her vehe-
mence, but she had her own reasons for
not encouraging it,"
Its quite on another footing now,
since lie permits it," she said, "and
really / wish you would. Since the
hot weather came / notice you are
sometimes very tired with the walk.
Anything that will save your strength for
your work, you know" And to that
Ruth yielded.
She need not have been so fierce
about it, she said to herself, after q
week. She had the park all to herself,
and it vas certainly pleasanter than the
dusty road. Atfiist she hurried through
as if n dragon haunted every bush; but
gradually she moderated her pace, and
at last she made it a gentle saunter and
even stopped on the brink of the little
stream which crossed one end of the
park to cool her hot head IN its breath
of freshness, and soothe her eyes in the
soft green depths of the wood beyond.
Once or twice she saw Mr.. Hale's chill
dren with their French nurse in the
distance, once Mr.. Hale himself met
her, touched his hat stif1y, and stood
aside to let her pass. She wondered
afterward if he expected her to thank
him for his great concession. But the
burden of gratitude was not overwhelm-
ing to her proud little heart.
But q few days later she met him
again, and this time she repented enough
to give him q very frank smile and greet
ing. She felt like smiling on all the
world that day, this poor little govern
ess who had youth and hope as her por-
ton, and was content Herewith. Per-
haps a letter which she had thrust into
her pocket at sight of hlm-n letter she
had herself taken from the office and
fingered under the trees to read-had
something to do with her radiant face
just then.
"You find this way much pleasanter
than the road, Miss Bennett?" Mr..
Hale said, made affable by that smile.
Every much pl~easanter, thank you,"
Ruth answered, demurely.
II might perhaps allow others to go
through" he went on, "if / could be
sure they would not abuse the liberty.
But it is always dangerous to give peo-
pie an inch; they take in all instead"
ooh. I've no doubt you are quite in
the riSht-from your side of the mat
ter" Ruth answered, and if there was
the faintest touch of irony in her limi-
tation, Mr.. Hale did not see it.
Certainly I am in the right, !"
he decl ared, in his most mag
gisterial manner; but having thus,
so to speak asserted his dignity.
he sought to unbend and be prop
erly graciors to so discreet a person as
she had proved herself. Ruth answered
all his remarks with proper modesty.
deepening the good impression she had
already made, and forgot all about him
when she had crossed the hedge.
But the next day, as she sauntered
along the path, a sudden sharp cry
startled her-a child's cry for help. It
came from the river bank, and as she
ran towards it she understood it's mean
ing. The youngest of the children, the
little heir of tho house, had slipped and
fallen into the stream. The nurse was
running up and down, wringingher
hands. and the two children were
screaming for help. The water was not
deep, but q child can drown in very lit
tie, and when she had reached the bank
he had gone under for the second time.
"Run to the house for help" she
cried to the children; but ever
as she spoke she had herself seized
the readiest means of aid, and was
climbing down the bank. It would ruin
her dress-even then she thought OF
that-but she waded in bravely, halt
supporting herself by clinging to a vine
that curtained the slope. It might give
way-it certainly would if the boy
struggled and she lost her balance; but
it was the best she could do. She was
not conscious Of any special heroism.
Other people would doubtless come to
pull them both out later, but the
moments were precious, and the child
and here he came up again, just ont Of
her reach. She dropped the vine, took
the step needed to catch him, and fell
with him to the muddy bottom.
Ruth Bennett vas chiefly concious OF
her ruined dress and ud-bespattered
face when, d minute later. she climbed
up the bank with her burden. The
gardener and coachman were there Mr..
Hale was there too; but he let the
others help her up, and his paternal
raptures did not extend to taking his
dripping son and heir in his arms.