The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1884-03-20

eyes were tiashin' an his teeth set, could
see that Anna Gayler was out OF his
books forever. But what | couldn't see
was goin' on, jest in that identical
space O time Brother June was findin' out
his own heart at lastl He looked at
Ruth an remembered what good true
friends him an herd been during all their
pranks and capers He was discoverin'
what beautiful face she had
for she was the handsomest of the threel
an how she felt at havin helped in NOR
tifyin him. She was good, true girl, was
Ruth under all her mischief
Ruth says brother coming up closer to
her an holding out his hand, don't say no
more; please don't. It's who ought to beg
pardon of Anna, an all of you. do it
specially of you, Ruth. know now that
haven't ever cared half so much for Anna as
as l have-for somebody else. What a
blind fool man can be, if he only tries
Ruth, / came down this road to night to get
married to woman l thought / loved
Please don't be angry, nor think me a
weathercock as I've seemed to be. want to
go back an tell Anna and your folks an
mine an all the village that I've married the
girl l love. There's the difference"
Ruth Gayler started back from Brother
June. / could see how white her face
had grown in the clear light. June
she says sharply-'I-I don't understand
AS she spoke she tried to draw away her
hand, and June went on quickly, But
| do an l must make you see it,
II quietly turned away, under a pretense
o the hors"s hen' restl-., wa iumb-
founded. June and she ste w.t. me
a little way Off They tli@ 49, talked.
would only catch james voice now an tne1;
not hers ut all | knew now that she loved
brother; an that, whatever he said she'd
have to fight against herself, or June would
carry any point he chose-the han'some, per
suadin'. shamafaced fellow.
'All at once he turned round and called
out with laugh that rang over the fielis,
'Hurrah Brother Ebenl I've won my wife.
An he came over to the sleigh, half leadin
half liftin' Ruth Gayler in his arms, with her
a-laughin and tryin' to make him keep still
and goodness knows what all. fined in with
all the fun, an we had real frolic But ii
ended in our goin straight on to Parson
Latham's door an gettin out and Brother
Juniper an Ruth Gayler, blushin' and
trenholm, bein' married then an there be
fore my eyes, an my drivin' home to the
Gaylers' in my best style.
You can imagine how the village was
stirred up when next day part o the story got
out. Only part for all the widows folks
kept Annals share in it still as mouse; an
so did June an me. Everybody was wantin'
to know why in the world them swo young
young folksd been married in that queer,
sudden way. Nobody outside of us two fam
lilies ever found out As for Anna, she was
just as delighted as any woman could be.
She'd suspected how Ruth felt and June too,
all along an had hoped that after this joke
was all over, brother might think some day
seriously o Ruth. But, Of course she'd no
notion of so sudden wind-up of the thing,
in just the way she wishel. As for Ruth
why, she made June the best an lovin est
wife in the world an he's been as happy with
her as the day is long, at the farm"