The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1892-09-23

ABOUT you, Ruth, L QOnC KNOW now.
He's not bad sort, the old man; all he
says is cut it, that's all.
Ruth drew her breath quickly. On
her pale cheek there showed spot OF
color.
Cut It, he says, and you shall be a
partner; keep it on and you shall be a
beggar.
That's the situation, Ruth"-he
threw himself into chair with lauda-
BILE assumption Of carlessness. a beg
gar. There is nothing in the world that
l can do. l cont know any trade-I
can't do anything. There isn't man
in the world more helpless than when
1t comes to doing any work that will
pay. So you see, as l can't afford t. be
a pauper, and it would only make things
for you worse if 1 made you pauper.
tco, I've made up my mind that the only
thing for us to do is to cut it; to have
done with ito separate-to 60 on as
If we had never met"
But we cannot, Harry. It is too late
to talk of such a thing"
1T is never too late. That is my res
olution, Ruth"
Good Heavens! Why. we are mar
ried. Have you forgotten that? !"
Are we:"
Are we not?"
Look here, Ruth" he threw himself
into chair ami tried to assume fine
air OF caralessness, as if the matter was
one of very small Importance. $50 long
as there was any chance at all for us I
was willing 10 go on. But there isn't.
1t would be only cruel to you to keep up
the thing any longer. Iwant to consult
yonr interests first. can't keep wife,
you see. can't even keep myself.
Well, now-don't fly out more than you
can help, Ruth. Look here. you've got
a dozen of letters Of mine; you can
make yourself internally disagreeable
II you please. If you go into court of
law you would even get damages, 1 dare
say. Now look here. Don't let's have
any scandal. I'll buy the letters-i'll
buy up everything at big price. Any
thing t. prevent row and to part
amicably"
She stared at him with mind only
half awakened.
Buy your letters? What do you
mean? Harry-husband"- laid her
hand on his arm as he sat up In the
chair; tell me what does this mean?
Buy your letters to your wife,"
"Wife-ah! well-of course, I don't
pretend to believe that you didn't see
through the trick. Where were you
married, pray?"
At registry
Where Is that registry"
don't know. You took me there"
took you to an Office; but, my child,
1t was sham registry"
He turned away his head. Cold and
selfish as he was, he could not face her
as he told this Internal lie.
a sham Office he went on, and
took false name. You are no more |
married than your sister, Miss Ruth !
Heron"
He forced himself to face her.
Il don't know, l don't know" she |
said, not in fact knowing what she said. |
Then she stopped and neither spoke.
Do you mean all you say-all?" she |
asked
All; mean it ALL Hang 1t, Ruth, no. |
body wants you to come to any harm! I /
tell you frankly that l will buy back all |
The letters.
She bent forward and whispered.
He sprang TO his feet with an oath !
and walked across the room. When he |
came back to her his face was logged /
and obstinate, as it had been with his !
father. Unhappily, the girl would not
meet him with equal stubborness.
> What does that matter to me?" he |
asked her, with brutality incredible.
DO as you like. Only when you come
to think it over you will say that the |
best thing you can do is to follow my |
advice. Give up all the papers and I'll |
Bee you through-buy you a business,
send you abroad-anything you please.
Remember that this man up to this /
had been her passionate lover; |
one who would not find respect too great !
or wo"ship too complete. What did l
say: Fear of poverty reduced him in i
it makes one trcmble lest through I
some temptation We, too
The girl stare at him. 1t was as if /
beneath the visor of the knightly helmet,
where a moment before had been the |
face OF man. there should be rrinning |
the ugly features of mocking ape.
You mean all this, she said again.
-Of course, mean it. What the devil !
should say it for unless 1 meant it,"
Brutality, you see, once begun must be
kept up, even II one has had enough Of
It. Yet l declare that to this young man
the recollection Of his fathers fierce
eyes and Of his awful threats drove pity,
love, memory, honor-everything out Of
his mind. He had but one thought, to
get out Of the mess.
You have no pity? Consider-oh!
have told -consider-because you
did love me only a week or two ago"
Drop it, Ruth. II one OF US two is
going to be pauper it shall not be me.
II can help it. We've had a good time,
and it's over. You shall be taken care
of. 1t is all over. tell you
Mono. OH" She clasped her
hands with a cry Of anguish. 1T is only
beginning. Oh! 1t Is beginning"
She sank into the chair he had left
and buried her face in her hands. Then
she sprang to her feet again as il there
was no rest in her.
oh, my sister-Naomi," oh, my
sister.-how shall 1 tell her? What
shall say? What will she say? Oh,
/ would rather die than tell her,''
He was leaning against the mantel-
shelf. He turned impatiently and took
up little dagger paper-knife, one Of