The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-05-26

1t VITA indignant, flashing eyes, with dis
gust, great anger, ana shame in her burning
heart.
MY DEAR RUTH supposed you are all
very angry with me, but the situation was
growing too strained at Sudley, and have
not strength to give up Arthur. He has
cared for me very much, you know for
long time, long before my marriage, aud at
last he has persuaded me to take the ire
cCoyerable step of leaving my home with
MN, ana do not regret it. We start this
evening for Paris, aad from there go on TO
the Riviera, aud as | trust Col. Kenyon viii
get divorced from me as soou as possible,
shall, l expect, return to England as Lady
Beaten, aud then dare say / this will be
forgotten. am sorry for poor X. but it is
miserable to be married to man you do
not care for, and thea his age made it so
unsuitable However, all that is passed and
over, and should not be surprised if k,
we're to marry again. Arthur is only too
anxious to marry me, and he says he shall
never be quite hap " until he can do so. |
am very sorry if have vexed you; but
write 70 me in Paris to the address below
and tell me you forgive me. | suppose
Audley and my father will have been call
ing me all sorts of bad names, but, luckily,
l won't hear them in the sunny south. AL
ways with love, atfectionately yours,
FRANCES"
Every word of this heartless letter seemed
to cut like sharp knife into Ruth's heart.
This was The sister she had loved then. the
sister for whose sake she had wrecked her
own life! And then Ruth remembered the
anguish on Col Kenyon's worn face; the
unutterabie misery In his eyeil
With an expression of loathiGg and dis
gust she flung Frances letter passionately
on the floor, and then stood pale and pant
ing thinking what she ought to do. She
would send for her father, she decided, for
she shrank from telling Audley; shrauk
from listening to the gliding words with
which she knew he would hear the news.
She sent their soldier-servaut at once up
to request hat her father would come down
Immediately; and very shortly aftsrward,
haggard and unshaven, Col Forth APP
peared, and when his bloodslot eyes fell on
Ruth's excited face he knew in moment
their worst fears had been realized.
Have you heard p he gasped out
Eyes, she is shameful, shameIessp cried
Ruth, with extraordinary bitterness That
is her letter." and she pointed to the letter
lying on the floor; the letter in which she
proclaims her great dishonor."
Col. Forth stopped down, and picked up the
letter with his shaking hands, and when he
had read it he cursed her, and the day shs
had been born His rage was, indeed,
something terrible to witness. His face
grew livid, the veins in his neck swelled,
and his eyes seemed starting from their
sockets. His words cannot be written here:
he was man of violent temper, and he now
gave way to ungovernable fury.
Ruth drew back, afraid and trembling,
lest he should fall down dead before her,
slain by the storm of passion which pos
sessed him.
Hush, father, hush, " she said; nothing
can mend it now"
Again Col. Forth lifted up his hand and
cursed his eldest born, asking that the
blacklist fate might overtake her, and
that her evil deeds might recoil on her own
bosom.
And Kenyon" he said, ''my friend; the
man who risked his life for mine-who will
tell himm
Someone must" said Ruth, with her
pallid trembling lips; would we had found
her dead, father-would we had found her
deadp'
''She is dead to me-" answered Col.
Forth, darkly and sternly; from this hour
l have but one daughter-you, my poor
girl"
He put out his hand, and as Ruth took it
she burst into sudden storm and passion
of tears, which seemed to rend her slender
frame; and the violence of her emotion
helped TO compose Col. FORTH.
"You are not to blame, he said, as he
helped his daughter to chair and rang for
water. MY dear" you will make yourself
very ill; does Aud1ey know
moi" sobbed Ruth, land what will he
care: On! you don't know all, father all
the misery | have gone through, all have
borne for her,"
These words were not reassuring; but
Ruth became so i'll that Col Forth grew alb
solutely alarmed and sent the servant over
to the fort for DR.. Murray, and whe the
young Scotchman arrived he saw at once
tina something terrible had happened
81 am afraid you have had bad news" he
said. mpatbizingly.
Shameful news, you mean answered
Col Forth, sternly. But don't speak of
it; give Ruth something to soothe herr
Then DR.. Murray understood that the
riddle of Mrs Re lyons DISAPPEARANCE was
solved, aud thai she had lefo her home with
Sir Arthur Beaton. There Tad been many
suspicious at the fort that this was the case,
during the last two days, and kenard Sea
forth mad felt most acutely for Ruth but
had shrunk from seeing her, lest she should
question him, fearing that his answers
might only add TO her anxiety and pain. In
MS oNn mind he had felt almost certain
from the first that Mrs. Kenyon had Fl ID
Nth Beltol, bat he naturally had kept this
opinion to himself
But when DR.. Murray returned TO break
fast at the fort, Frances Kenyon's name
was banded around with many a scott aad
Jest. They called her "Jezsbel," having
caught this name from Audley; aud Sir
Arthur was Jung fool, they said; and Old
stories against Frances Forth were rake1
up, which had been forgotten or ignored
az inst the mistress Of Sudley Park when
she had entertained and smiled in her state
ly home.
Seaforth listened impatieutly, and soon
left the breakfast table, FIR he had heard
from Dr.. Murray of Ruth's bitter dis
tress and illness, and his heart felt very sore.
He believed that Frances had par ed
him from Ruth, and he had never
liked her; bat he could not laugh and
Jest over " hat he knew would fall as an over
wnelming dow on Col. Kenyon, AID on her
Young sister; and he was rry too for Bea-
ton, believing that the step no had taken
would prove for him very miserable one.
In the meanwhile Col. Forth had g)le
Upstairs and told Audley, as no saw Ruth
was quite unfit TO do 50. Audiey received
5he news with a j unnoveG IL lt3uanc. aud
l little shrug.
you musC have been prepared for this, "
ne sad.
II was notr' almost shout, d Col Forth.
But please TO remember, Mai Audley,
hat from this day she Is dead to m; r IN
s my only daughter, ami her sisters
hamefnl coniuc, las nearly bgosen her
leart."
IS 10 at least was prepared - said Audev.