The morning news., 1889-04-28
CHAPTER XVIII.
NEAR RELEASE.

| against tie walls of the rooms, and Ken
ard followed her, and stood near har for a
while, and then went olt and walked up
| an d1wn on the terrace alone, trying Of
course IN vain to solve the reason of her
conduct tn him.
1t must be something else, it could not
be for Audley's moasy aIo e." thought the
| young man, and tuel his brow darke led.
| Curse it!-and that fellow viii be C coming
btck agai1 now, l suppose; and can't
| stand Is sort Of thing, that's the TRUTH
must exch snga and 20 out to India, for |
| like her too well, and can't help myself"
lie almost made up his mind to do this.
He expected his company daily, and when
he got 1t he would leave the regiment and
ep out of sight of the far sad-faced
woman he believed love him still
1T she would only tell me the truth, " he
thought, reStle sly; perhaps when she hears
am going away she will @ SO; it wi / be
worth while, for to be near her as things are
now is only pain"
Presently he went back into the ball
room, hut Ruth was no longer there. And
he felt disappointed, though he lad told
him elf a few momenes before that to be
near her gave him no happiness. 1t did
not, and yet the sweet pain seemed better to
hlm that to ind her gone. He grew weary
Of the whirlIng figures passing and repass-
ing HIM, of the light jests and almleSs
WORDS tnaC lell on MS ears.
whats the good Of it alln' he said, i'm
patieaty to Mr.. Martin, who was in the
same regiment, aud who had gone up to
him and said, Isn't this a jolly dancer
"Gool" repeated Marin, looking at
Seaforth's gloomy face in astonishment; {;
why, isn't II good to enjoy yourselfE
IF you ca1,h answered the other: and
the good-natured lad, whose face was Grim
son with his exertions, wondered in mis-
heart what mad come over Seaforth To put
him out.
Ruth in the meanwhile had stolen upstairs
to her bedrOo a, and was sitri z in the semi
dar rkness thinking how d.hc lit and dark
was her life. She could not help caring for
SeafJrth, she had always cared for him,
and his sudden question on the terrace had
made the OLD wound bleed rev. All! it
had been cruel. too cruel, this enforced
separation, this rendlng a part of love that
would not die!
And her marriagel--he miserable band
that chained uer, and chafed her, and made
her days a long struggle 20 endure wh sac
could no5 escape. IL was gloomy pictur',
with one brig side. Frances was happy,
and for Frances size had made the self-sacri-
fee, the bitterness Of which her own heart
only knew.
''Anl be will be coming back again now.
/ suppose" D" she thought, miserably. ''Oh, l
DO wish ne would SU&y away.
How many a tine she had wished this
since Audley had lsfJ her She ha looked
aud felt a d,ffe ent creature during the last
few days, and her heart abhorred The idea
Of returning to the Old bondage.
HE knows | Atte hln; WHY does he make
me Stay!1 she had eskel herself again ID
again, and sae a k9d herself this question
now.
But while she was sitting sad and lonely
upstairs down stairs Frances was receiving
the complimen and adulatiol that her
soul loved, and WIS seemingly a woman
standing on one Of the very pinnscles of
good for5une,
Are YOU satisfied with the dav, dearestr
her fond husband mad whispered to her as
the evening began to wane and the guests
to depart; and she lad sad Yes" aud
smiled, all the while with strange ulres
stirring in ber heart, when she tho lglt of
WIN 1t had happened to Arthur Beaton.
But as ner husbands friends crowded
round her to say gooG-by, each with com
pHmentary word, Frances exerted herself
to be agreeable to every one, and tried her
best to pat Beatons good rtuae out of her
mind. Presently Seaforth and young
Martin, who were going to drive home to-
gsther went IN to her to say goodnight,
ana Frances smiled on them as she had
smiled on the rest.
Come again very SOON she said to Sea-
forth.
''Y as; will YOU say good-by to your sister
for me p ha answered
"Ruth! Where 5 shea | wonder where
she ISL answered Frances, locking round.
she was nowhere to 10 seen, and the
young men went away. aud whel they
we're 20 e, 4nd the rooms were cleared,
Frances went upstairs to seek for Ruth.
) .e fonnd her alone IN the half-iark
room, and as Frances lit some Of the can
dies on the toilet-table to look at herself,
glancing round she sAw on Ruth's face the
marks Of recent tears.
What che matter9 Are you not very
vel. Ruth a. she askei /. "SeAfCTth was ask-
ing for you few minutes since to bid you
20 1d-by.o
Tine room was hot down s'airs," an
swered Ruth, $50 | came up for few min
utes' quiet. Are alltne people gone. heard
the music cease"
''Yes. thank heaven, everyone is gone
What a day it has been. And abou.
Arthur Beaton. | cannot help thinking
about it. Fancy, Ruth, if this had hap
pe led few months ago how it would have
changed everything"
"You mean
81 mean should never have been Mrs.
Kenyon, my dear, as you know very well!
But il is no & jOd talking Of it,
'No, iudeel, Frances; and after all what
is hel a good-l0oSing boy
Frances din not speak for moment as
Ruth paused and hesitated. She began
a king up and down the room, and then
again 81 went up TO the toilet, aud looked
at herself long and earnestly IN the glass
"How do you think | look to-day" she
asked.
Very well indeed; your dress is beauti-
full"
''He was very much unset when he came
to tell me. poor fellow said Fra ces, the
next moment, her mind once more return
ing 70 Beaton; "they say he will be i'm
msnselv rich-dftesi or sixteen thousand a
year. We'll, one never can tell wnat will
happen, certainly. I suppose Audley Will
u am sure ! don't Know, and | don't
care"
There will be letter from him NOR
row morning, ! suppose, 70 tell you; bow
ever, if yoa won't come down starr.
think III say good-aight, Esih, as this
has been such an exciting day. am dead
tired"
And she kissed Ruth and went away; tut
Ruth sat stil! long ate: sEe was gone.
thinking Of her unhappy lie, and wishing
with all her Heart she could ed any escape
from il.
And the next morning did bring her
letter from Audiey 70 tel ter that hiS Sis
ters death would nearly double b.s present
income; and De also told her tEat immedi-
ately after The funeral be should return 70
Eeldfort.
ASK your sister TO drive you there on
Monday morn ug,' be wrote; 81 expect to
arrive about Il o'clock, and Dy-rAe-by YOU