The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-02-24

suddenly broke down; broke into choking
sobs which shook her slender frame, and
seemed almost to rend her throat.
Frances was genuinely sorry.
You silly child" she said kindly, don't
you go and be breaking your heart for
Seaforth or any young man. They are not
| worth it, my dear They are ali very well
in their way, but they are not worth a
! woman's tears, and it's the worst ones that
| have most shed for them. Come, Ruth,
don't cry; tell me what is the mat err lsup-
pose it really is that the young mans father
and mother do not like it!"
81 do not think they like it :" sobbed poor
Ruth.
"Wait while, my dear" said Frances,
scorntulIy; ''wait until Mrs Kenyon of
Sudley Park appears in all her glory, and
you will find the reflection of it will do you
a great deal of good in the eyes of the old
general and his wife. Everyone is the same, "
she continues bitterly; 81 suppose they've
| heard we are poor, and-perhaps other
things" and Frances frowned; "but it will
be all right o "a d-by, and they will come
and stay at Sudley and court poor me, and
bestow + cir blessing on you and Kenardp'
| 81 don't know"
"Oh, yes they will; now, dry your eyes
| like a good child, and let US talk sensibly
| Well nv beloved is impatient to enter into
his imaginary bliss poor man, and wants to
be married next month. What do you say ?
/. of course, would not hear Of it to-day,
| but may tomorrow.
| at is very SOON" said Ruth trying to
compose herself, land yet
"Perhans, considering all things, it is
| wise Yes" added Frances, beginning to
walk back ward and forward in her stately
fashion, lit is wise, and yet l am sorry for
poor Bsaton."
You must never speak to him. or think
of him now, Frances!"
| MAY not even pity himP said Frances,
smiling. Poor boy, it's a bitter pill to
him, and yet be must swallow it-like we all
do
Hes young; he'll soon forget all about
It,
"Flattering to my vanity, Miss Ruth ~
said Frances with shrug. YES, | dare
saw he will she added, and changed the
subject, for she knew that Ruth would not
care to hear her talk OF Arthur Beaton
| now.
| But she talked good deal about her we'd
ding, and Sudley, and the future gayeties TO
| be held there
"My old man" she said, "likes to have
people about him, aud es specially young peo-
pie, so there we shall agree. think moth
| ing could be imagined so dreadful as bel 2
| shut up with one person all your life
| though in your present state of mind |
suppose, my dear, you would rather like
| itl"
Ruth tried to laugh, but it was dismal
ia lure
a like Ssaforth," went on Frances; 'h s
| nice looking for one thing, and ugliness is so
| Objectionable, and think he's fond of you,
| Rutl !"
| Ruth showed symptoms of again bursting
into tears.
ooh don't please, " said Frances; "therer'
| and she kissed her sister, lit will all come
right. but wait until YOU are Mrs. kenard
Seaforth, and | promise you you will not
| cry about him them"
And she laughed and went away.
And Ruth sat still and thought her bitter
| thoughts, tried to determine what to do,
and could see no way out Of her terrible
dilemma. If she refused Co meet Maj.
| Audley, she did not know what i'll in his
! anger he mig do; and if she did meet
him, Seaforth might hear of it and believe
| her TO be both false and deceitful.
But she was afraid Of Audley, and dare
not run the risk of offending him. At last
| she decided it was better she shoIld hear
what he had to say. And when the next
morning dawned, after a restless and mis-
| cradle night, she still kept to this resolu-
| ton.
Then the question rose in her mind, should
| she leave any message with Frances or the
maid if SeafGrth should chance to call She
asked herself this again aud again. and
| finally decided to leave it to chance Size
had seen him yesterday, and they had not
settled when they should meet again. There
fore, he probably would not come to-day;
| and without saying anything to Frances,
who would no doubt think he was going on
some housekeeping business, she quietly left
| the house about a quarter to O'Clock, and
soon found herself approaching the lane
! where but yesterday she had been so
happy.
But now she did not look at the fields OF
green waving corn, or the scarlet peoples;
| she walked quickly on with bent head and
| fast beating heart, and presently on one Of
| the gateways into the fields she saw Mai.
| Audley sitting on the topmost rail of the
| gate, smoking a cigar. He threw this
away, and jumped down Immediately he
saw her, and at once walked forward TO
meet her.
GOOD morning. he said with his hard
smile, holding out his hand. You were
SURPRISED TO get my letter. dare say?n be
continued, as he joined her. and they walked
on Gether.
YES, answered Ruth. in a low, faltering
tone.
"Bu. you will be moro surprised when
you hear what | have got to say" he went
on, hitting out at the tall nettles which
grew on the roadside with his stick, in a
!
ness very unusual to bin.
81 cannot conceive what you have goS 10
say, nor why you should ask me TO meet
you here" said Ruth, plucking up some
courage.
Again Maj. Audley smiled his hard cold
smile, but did not speak for moment or
two, as if he were considering what words
he should Use.
Il shall begin then by asking you" he
said. quietly, "if you remember the storm
last Tuesday nightp
A burning scarlet blush instantly dyed
Ruth's face.
lit was bad storm, she said, in a
strangely altered voice.
Very. had been dining that evening
with the Fords at Whitman, and between
half-past eleven and quarter to 12 o'clock
! was walking home by the cliff walk. The
storm was then at its height, and the light
ming extre molly vivid; aud as l approached
the steep path cut through the rock down
10 the bay, there was q Tremendous flash,
and his dash showed me very plainly the
form aud face Of Miss Ruth Forth, who
was coming up the little path from the
shore Is this soy
mo, no." gasned Ruth, who had listened
10 his words in momentarily increasing ter
ror.
Miss Ruth, IL Is useless 10 deny this;
saw you as distinctly as | see you now, and
! followed. you home to make assurance
doubly sure. And saw you go into your
garden, and steal into the back entrance, by
the house-and then | turned away