The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-16

L v
Its rather jolly place on tue whole"
said Rose, but as she spoke she suddenly
left the room, and Mrs. Seaforth was alone
/ with Kenard.
She looked at him for moment with in
tense anxiety depicted on her delicate face.
and then went up to him and feverishiy
grasped his hand.
''Kenard. my dear, my dearest, she said
in trembling and broken voice, you are
not deceiving us--you are going TO India
aloner
Yes, MOTHER he answered, quietly.
"Oh, my desr, thank Godi thank God!n
cried his mother, throwing herself into his
arms, while tears rushed into her eyes aud
: streamed down her faded cheeks. Your
I father was uneasy, and | have been so mis-
| erable!n
Let me tell you short story, dear
! mother" said Kenard, STOPPING down and
kissing her face; ''but you must not be a
silly little woman and cry"
He led her to a couch, and sat down be
side her, holding one of her trembling hands
in his.
Il am going to make confession,n he
said, after a moments hesitation, $50 that
you NAV never misjudge-somsone any
more. You guess VINO | meant Ruth
| Forth"
"Who married Maj. Audleyl" answered
Mrs. Seaforth, with little gasp.
YES, who married Maj. Audey, at the
time, or shortly after ut least, when l be-
lieved she was engaged to me. Mother, l
am going to tell you the true history of this
marriage now"
Yes, my dearest
Il was very fond of Ruth. and she was
very fond of me; and wrote, as you re-
member, to ask my fathers consent and
yours to our marriage, which my father
declined to give Well, | was obliged TO
| nj xy adu 70 Rtfth md cad
that whatever happened we would not
part, that we would wait until / got my
company, and then go out to India to-
gether and live on my pay. But, after this,
to my surprise, got letter from her, full
of grief and pain, to tell me she could not
be my wife The only way l could account
for this letter was your opposition 30 the
marriage, and | went to see her, but she
would give no further explanation-only
said with bitter tears that she could not
that we were to part, and there was no hope
for us. Mother, you remember, l came
here, and was scarcely here when | got
letter from Audley to say he aud Ruth were
to be married in a fortnight The news half
drove me mad; l teegraphed to Ruth to
know If it were true, and she answered 1t
was, and then l went away"
"My dearest, remember 1t all too WE'LL"
said Mrs. Seaforth, TREMENDOUSLY. as Kenard
paused.
at seemed to make a changed man of
me-" continued Kenard, casting down his
eyes II felt so reckless and miserable and
-and-after bit | went back to Headfort
and saw her again as Audleys wife. No
one could look on her face and not see how
unhappy she was. She was an altered girl
in fact, and met me with unmistakable agita-
tion and emotion. Her sister was married
by this time to Col. Kenyon, and used to
see Ruth at Sudley Park and at Lady Hast
ings,. At last. one day, / asked her plainly
why she had thrown me over--if in fact
she had changed to mel She told me she
had not changed, but she would give no
reason for her conduct Then Audleys ae-
cident came-when the big gun burst, you
know-and every one thought he was going
to die. Unfortunately he did not die, or
that would have made it all plain sailing
again. The next thing that occurred was
Mrs. Kenyon's elopement with Beaton--Sir
Arthur Beaton. This cut Ruth to the
| quick and nearly killed poor Kenyon and
the first time l saw Ruth after this she told
me strange story, told me why she had
married Audley. why our two lives had
been spoilt."
"Oh, not spoilt, my dearestir said the
fond mother, clasping closer Kenard's
hand.
Something very like it, at least, mother
it is a shameful story. and can scarcely
| DTllR myself 10 Uelt IL 10 you QuleDly.
Don't excite yourself, dear Kenard."
"Well, I'll try not but can't help get
ting into rage whenever l think of it. 1t
seemd when =. Ruth was y engaged
to me, Audley, who had always
admired her, found out some
thing disgraceful about Frances Forth, who
was then engaged to Col. Kenyon. And
| what do you think the cur dld2 He threat
ened that unless Ruth married him he would
enlighten Kenyon about the past of the
woman he was about to marry Ruth did
not tell me quite what it was, but | gath
| cred enough to know that no honorable
man would have married Frances had he
known the truth. The poor girl--my poor
Ruth--went down on her knees and en-
treated that scoundrel, Audley not to force
her to marry him, but he showed neither
mercy nor pity! And Frances entreated
Ruth to save her; and, for her sisters sake
| to save her from disgrace and shame
| Ruth broke her word TO me, and married a
man whom she absolutely hated"
| "But, my dearest, she did marry him,
| and death alone should dissolve this tien
Eyes, she did marry him." said Keuard,
with some bitterness; ''she sacrificed herself
to screen shameful wonan's shame-for
| can use no gentler words; and after all
Ruth had done-after she had given what
was more to her than life-this Frances ran
away from the kindly gentleman that was
QoVOteQ TO n6r, ana all Der SlSDer'S ullSeltl n
| love was forgotten and in valnl Then Ruth
told me- and you must, think, understand
my feelings"
| "Still-"
''Wait little until you hear the end.
| was naturally furious with Audley. If he
had not been the MANNED wretch he is
SHOULD have struck him on the face or
horsewhipped him, if it had cost me my
commission; but he has lost leg. and Is
| greatly shattered-howeyer, need not talk
| of this-wel, / went up to town after left
| here the last time, and | went to see Ruth.
There are two drawing rooms in the house
where they were, and Ruth received me in
the inner room, and that scoundrel Audey
must have been listening to our converse
ton in the front room. At all events he
overheard me abusing him pretty plainly,
and would you believe it, after | left he
went to the room where Ruth was and
struck her a terrible blow on the face-the
brute that he tsp
1T is very bad, certainly, but"
"Dr. Murray came and told Inc, and told
me also how Ruth had at once Left her bus.
bands house, and gone down to Headfort 10
her fathers And when heard this, when
know that for my sake she had lost her
home, | made up my mind"
''Ob, Kenard. don't, don't tell me that
'Have little patience mother, and you
shall hear it all. | told you | was going to
I r