Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-05-14
RUBY'S VISIT.

clover D1OSSOunAhB osSA0 !. -
Il win be great deal cheaper To-
Newport and more sensible than sHby.
May"
ooh. papa, do let me goAd Mr.. En-
clasping her pink fi1s never any of
together. .Mampyel.
A year ago, Ne wiIl," said Ruby.
cher would try theexperiment if !
Of thing Said Uncle Ennis.
baniss Just then Rub y looked up and
/ ~ Harry Stafford standing in the
doorway.
Il wonder, she thought, ''if he has
heard all we have been saying 2 !
don't like Harry Stafford one bit. He
is SO precise and digniHed, and Polly
Twitter says he thinks am romp.
What business has he to think about
the matter one way or another?"
So Ruby rose and went out of the
room with the stateliest step that she
could command; and although Harry
waited until nine o'clock, she never
came back.
II wanted to ask her to go with me
to the picnic at the Great Gorge" said
Harry to Mr.. Ennis. 'Do you think
she win accompany meP"
"Well, don't know" said Uncle
Ennis. looking intently into the bowl
of his pipe. Il rather guess, by what
she said, that she calculates to go
with jerome Franklin"
Safford's dark face flushed.
as he a fit associate for her p
said he.
mo, Idon't think he is. But gals
are queerl" rehectively added Uncle
Ennis. "Just tell 'em you want EN-
to 60 one way, and see how straight
they'll start in the otherr'
Harry Stafford went away with a
heavy heart. One smile would have
made him happy, and she had not even
vouchsafed him that.
But the next morning there <eame
news that Jekome Franklin had disap-
peared most Unexpectedly, and so had
a considerable sum out Of the safes of
Fordyce s. Fordyce, in whose legal
chambers he oficiated in the capacity
of clerk.
| And the FIRST thought that flashed
into Harry safford's mind was:
"Noso 1 can ask Ruby Archer to go
to the Great Gorge picnic with mel"
| And yet Harry Stafford was not more
selfish than most men.
Just within the cool shadows of the
Ennis woods he found Ruby herself,
her hat hanging down her back, her
tresses all disheveled, her blue eyes
drenched in tears.
"Why, RubyP' he cried. What is
the matterP"
ave lost himr' sobbed Ruby. clasp
ing her hands despairingly. He's gomez
A sudden chill seemed to grippe poor
Harry's heart. Had she then loved
his rival so wellp Were they actually
engaged?
"And it's all my own fault, toop'
continued Ruby, with a fresh burst Of
tears. "Uncle warned me how il
would be. He warned me against
having anything to do with him. But
T sCO,,ld have my own way. And now
am rightly punished. He's gone
Jerry has run awayI"
aRuby, for heavens sake do not
speak thusr' said poor Harry
"But 1 can't help itr' walled Ruby.
"Did you then love him so well p
bitterly demanded the young man.
didn't care a snap about himr'
cried Ruby. "But uncle told me to
let him alone. and l disObeyed And
now he has run away, and what viii
uncle sayP on, do wish the dog
catehers had captured him before
ever unfastened his chainl'
"Ruby," said her amazed lover.
awhat on earth areyOu talking about ?"
sWhy, about Jerry. the red Irish set
ter. tO-be-sureF' said Ruby. @What
should / be talking about p
as that All p said Stafford. with 4
great sigh Of relief. 'sThen Jon may
set your heart at rest. Jerry ia safe
enough. / passed little Tommy Eaton
- the nountain-road. = few minutes
AGO. bringing him home with chain
and 4 rope. It IS Of the other Jerry
| / am speaking jerome Franklin n
his run away. also, with > lot Of money
ont of Mr.. Fordyce's safe.
..IIas hep said Ruby, apparently
!. verv little interested i this secondary
niece at information. sWell. ! ani noI