Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-29

find signs of him. think he must be mat
to stay so near when he knows he is wanted
I can't think what is keeping him."
~ have made up my mind, father, to giv'
him up. You have been right, and know
now be would not make me good husband
but please don't say anything against him
it is hard enough as it is"
Hiram kissed his daughter
"Thank God for that news, Ruth.
hoped, after that poaching business, yor
would see it in that light and that he wasn'
fit for a mate for one like you. You
mother will be glad, child. She amt like
the same woman as she was. is she?"
"No, indeed, father; l do not seem tt
know her."
81 don't know as I was ever SO knocked
over in my life as 1 was yesterday, Ruth,
when your mother came down stairs in hel
bonnet and shawl, and said, 4 am going to
church with you, Hiram I didn't open
my lips until we were half way, and then
she said as how it had been borne in on her
as how her not being here when you was
brought in was judgment on her for being
away at,Dareport instead of being at church
with us; and she said more than that, as
how, now she thought over it, she saw as
she hadn't done right by me and you all
these years. and hoped to make better
wife what time she was left to us. 1 wasn't
sure all church time as it wasn't dream to
see her sitting there beside me, and joining
in the hymns, listening attentive to the
parson as she has always been running
down. She said on the way home she felt
just as she did when she was a girl, five
and twenty years ago, and used to come over
here to church, afore she took up with the
Methodies." t-s
Ruth kissed her father.
"Then my fell has done good after all, I"
she said. "It makes me happy to know it. ="
81 shall be happy when see you quite
yourself again, Ruth. Come back to us
soon, dear"
81 will, father; in the spring I will come
home again for good, l promise you," and
so Ruth returned for time to The Hold.
81 am glad you are back again, Ruth, 1"
Miss Carne, who had been down several
times to see her, said. 81 told you to not
hurry yourself, and Iwould have done with
out you for another month, but you know
am really very glad to have you back again.
Mary managed my hair very well, but I
could not talk to her as do to you"
Ruth had not been in the house many
hours before she learnt from her fellow SER
want that Mr.. Gulston had been two or
three times over since the shooting party,
and that the servants in general had an
opinion that he came over to see Miss Carne.
'tIt's easy to see that with halt an eve" !"
one of the girls said, ''and think Miss
Margaret likes him too, and no wonder, for
aproperer looking man is not to be seen; but
always thought she would have married
her cousin. Everyone has thought 50 for
years." -e
"It's much better she should take the
sailor gentleman" one of the elder women
said. Il am not saying anything against
Mr.. Ronald, who is as nice young gentle
man as one would want to see, but he is her
cousin, and I don't hold to marriage among
cousins anyhow, and especially in family
like ours"
II think it is better for us not TO talk about
it at all, Ruth said, quietly; II don't think
it right and proper, and it will be quite time
enough to talk about Miss Margaret's affairs
when we know she is engaged"
The others were silent for minute after
Ruth's remark, and then the under-house-
maid, who had been an old playmate of
Ruth, said: .et..
"You never have ideas like other people,
Ruth Powlett. 1t is family thing, and we
can't say word about people in the house
without being snapped up"
"Ruth is right" the other said, "and your
tongue runs too fast, Jane; as Ruth says, it
will be quite time enough 10 talk when Miss
Margaret is engaged; till then, the least said
the better" 4-.- l.A,,
In truth, Lieutenant Gulstcn had been
several times at The Hold, and his friend
the doctor, seeing his admonition had been
altogether thrown away, avoided the SUBJ
ject, but from his gravity of manner showed
that he had not forgotten it; and he shook
his head sadly when one afternoon the lieu
tenant had obtained leave until the follow
ing day. 81 wish had never spoken. Had
l not been an old fool should have known
well enough that he was fairly taken by her.
We have sailed together for II years, and
now there is an end to our friendship. I
hope that will be all, and that he will not
have reason to be sorry that he did not take
my advice and drop it in time. Of course
she NAV have escaped. and think that she
has done so; but it's terrible risk-terrible.
would give years pay that it shouldn't
have happened"
An hour before Lieutenant Gulston left
his ship Ronald Mervyn had started for
The Hold. A word that had been said by a
young officer of the flagship who was dining
at mess had caught his ears. 1t was con-
cerning his first lieutenans.
Hes got quite a fishing mania at present,
and twice week he goes off for the day to
some place 20 miles away-Carnesford.
think it is He does not seem to have much
luck; anyhow, he never brings any fish
home. He is an awfully good fellow, Gull
ston; the best first lieutenant ever sailed
with by long way
What Ronald Mervyn heard was not.
pleasant to him. He had noticed the at
tentions Gulston had paid to Margaret
Carne at the ball, and had been by no
means pleased at meeting him installed at
The Hold with the shooting party, and the
thought that be had been twice week over
in that neighborhood caused an angry sur
prise. The next morning he therefore tele-
graphed home for horse to meet him at the
station. and started as soon as lunch was
over. He stayed half an hour at home, for
his house lay on the line between the sta
tion and Carne's Hold. The answer he re-
ceived from his sister to question he put
did not add to his good temper
Oh, yes. Mr.. Gulston had called a day
or two alter he had been to the shooting
party, and they had heard he had been at
The Hold several times since.
When he arrived there, Ronald found
that Margaret and her brother were both in
the drawing room, and he stood chatting
with them there for some time, or rather
chatting with Margaret, for Reginald was
dull and moody. At last the latter saun-
tered away.
"What is the matter with you, sir?"
Margaret said to her cousin. sYou don't |
seem to be quite yourself; is it the weather?
Reginald is duller and more silent than
usual; has hardly spoken word to-day"
mo, it's not the weather: he replied
II want to ask you a question,
Margaret"
"Well, if you ask it civilly," the girl re-
piled, 81 will answer it, but certainly not |