The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-09
CHAPTER xxx.

uOC 10 snow LQlS.
II came 10 town on Thursday" be said
nervously, still holding her hand. land you
know you said might call.n
YES" answered Ruth, struggling to hide
her agitation, but conscious that her eyes
were full of tears and that her whole an
pearancs must betray to Seaforth that he
had found her in distress.
She turned away her head, aud Seaforth
went on talking, as we do when we wish TO
appear not TO notice another's grief. He
thought she had been thinking of her sister.
and in a few moments Ruth had SO far re-
covered herself as to be able to answer him.
He had been staying at Wooiside for a
fortnight, he told her, but he did not tell
her OF ire pretty girl whom he had left be-
hind him there
Presently he mentioned one of those
tragedies which cross onr daily lives, for
ever reminding us of the dark and fiery
passions lurking in the human heart. A
girl had been murdered by her lover the
night before, and the miserable details were
in the daily papers
II daresay it is all in here, - said Seaforth.
rising from his seat and taking up a news
paper lying on the lit le table, tefore which
Ruth had been sitting when he entered the
room.
He lifted up the paper quickly and care
lessly, and one of the sheets caught on the
there, and the next moment it fell on the
floor, and Seaforth, as he stopped to raise it,
saw his own features; knew that Ruth had
been shedding tears over the portrait he
had given her long ago
He did not look at her at first-he could
not. A sudden tumultuous throbbing at
his heart; an overpowering sensation he
could not define-of joy, of temptation
swept over him, and he stood still, holding
the photograph in his hand, feeling that this
knowledge of her deep love was dearer to
him even than he had thought.
Then he turned and saw Ruth standing
with eyes downcast aud crimsoned cheeks;
saw that she understood his emotion, and
saw, too, that there was no anger in her
face, only modest woman's tender shame.
He made step forward; he took her
hand.
80 you kept it." he said, in a low, agi-
tated tone.
She looked up for a moment in his face,
and he knew that she had kept it, and wept
over it, and loved it, as If it had been a liv-
ing thing.
Ruth" he went on, passionately, clasp
ing her hand closer, "you told me once that
because loved you so ought to try to help
you to forget our love-but is this time not
paste Can we ever forget it, | feel that we
never can"
Still Ruth did not speak; she stood there
with heaving breast and trembling hands,
scarcely realizing how sweet his words were
to her ears.
I'VE are not like other people, you
know, continued Seaforth; I'VE were parted
by one of the vilest actions on earth-you
owe AudIey nothing"
THAT is true" said Ruth, with faltering
tongue.
81 have thought of this all the time was
at home-sver since you told me the real
reason why you threw me overland as we
have besn 50 shamefullv treated by others.
why should we think of them!n
You mean"
Ruth, will you trust MAJ Do YOU re-
member now we used to talk of going out
to India together, aad living on my payl
ID You care for me enough to do this no w?''
why do you asks" sal Ruth, with deep
emotion. Care for you! Shall tell you
how l cared, Kenardm
Eyes. tell me, dear Ruth'
"When Maj. Audley forced me to marry
him" continued Ruth, her voice trembling
and broken oy strong and passionate feel.
ing, II used to count the days and hours
that lay between me and an abhorred fate
1t was nothing else-I hated Audey with a
hatred | cannot tell But for Frances
sake-because loved her SOL stified the
feelings of my heart; crushed back the
words that forever rose on my lips, to defy
him and let him do his worst, for | should
rather have died than taken the false oaths
l did"
They were false, and SO do not bind
you.
''God only knows how false they were.
and they do not bind me-except for you. !"
For me!'
Eyes, Kenard, for you. Do you think
would ruin your life, and blight all your
prospects for any selfish love of mines You
have father and mother; do you think |
would bring shame and pain to them, as
Frances has brought to usi'
Seaforth WINGED, and cast down his ewes
at the mention of his mothers name.
There would be no real happiness for
us, Kenard, if we did what our hearts
prompt us to do,n went on Ruth, with
great sadness. ''None, nonel There is no
happiness where there is shame-and this
would be shame, though you are too gener-
GUS to realizs it."
mo, because we were tricked and cheated
out of our honest love-
sit was very true love, Kenard.n aud
Ruth held out her hand which he eagerly
took. "Dou you remember how we used to
sit together in the little garden and watch
the sunsets. We were very happy then.n
I'VE can be happy again If you Will y
Not as we were then-I had no thought
then but of you-aow there would be al
ways a shadow between u.s.
But Audley is nothing to youf'
II have borne his name in the world. [
have eaten his bread. We cannot ignore
nor forget the past however bitter it may
have BEEN"
HE deserves anything that could befall
him; to force young girl like you to
marry him by unmanly threats, when he
knew you were engaged to me, was the
baseSt actio l-ths action of man who de-
serves to be publicly kicked out of the so :
Getty of .gentlemenm
Kenard raised his voice angrily as he said
the last words, aud slight noise in the
front drawing room failed to attract his at
tention.
But Ruth heard it.
"Surely some one opened the room door,
she said, and she went to the closed curtains
between the two rooms and looked out, but
the front room was empty.
II must have fancied it." she said a mo-
ment later, turning back.
mot that l care if Audley himself heard
what | said; my blood boils whenever /
think of the man-base scoundrel that he
isln
Hush hush Kenard.n
At this moment again the front drawing
room door was apparently opened, and this
time Kenard heard the sound; aud an in
stant or two later the curtains were
pushed aside, and DR.. Murray appeared be-
tween them.
"Ah, Seatorth, are you here" be said,
cd tvif nad han