The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1894-05-12

and blOOd.'
Nevertheless, her parents have a
prior claim, and you will be obliged to
give her up
Ruth, who had changed color and
trembled violently, now took Mrs.
Hayes hand, and spoke in clear and
fearless tones:
Eye can't maak me goo away from
my home against my will, and I'm
sure I shan't goo when father and
moother are in trouble
"God bless ye, ma loove!'
''Mr. Hayes, you have no right to
persuade her. You are standing in
Miss Preston's light. I would take
her to a home where she will be well
fed, clothed and educated; nay, more,
she will have every pleasure and lux
ury at her command"
"Ah, ye're raaght, master, aw maak
no doubt" Simeon said, with a deep
drawn sigh. "Lizzie, we be a selfish
pair O. brutes, after all. Ruth, ye
marn goo.'
"Oh, father, don't send me away
Aw should braak ma heart among
strangers"
But if what the gentleman says be
true"
'It bean't true" Mrs. Hayes ex-
claimed, with a violent outburst. 1T
can't be true, OF they'd paid for
Ruths keep all these years. Her
moother can't loove her as we do, or
herd ave asked after her afore now.
Neur a word, neur a line has her sent
by post; neur once has her COON near
here. But aw be prepared for this.
Aw gotten the law o the matter, an
aw tell ye, young mon, that neur a
step does our Ruth stir fro these
doors, unless every farthing O. her keep
for all these eighteen years past an
gone are paid to the gaffer here"
mo, no. the old man cried, hastily;
II dunnot ask that, master. 1t 'ud
be blood-money. Her be laa]1 ouer
very own. Her shall goo if her wishes
to, but her shan't be sold!'
Il have every respect for your feel
ings, my good friend, but you do not
choose your words well. There is no
question of buying and selling. When
Mrs. Preston lodged with you she was
very poor. She had been deserted by
her husband She has made a second
marriage; she is in aff1uent circum-
stances, and is very desirous to have
her daughter with her.
"And aw sez again, her doesn't loove
her-her amt worthy O naime O moth
er-or herd COON to see her long ago,
or leastWays ask after her."
''She appreciates your kindness to
her child" Mr.. Vincent continued,
without apparently needing the inter
ruption, land is willing to compensate
you for all your trouble. [ am accord
ingly, Mr.. Hayes, empowered to pay
YOU the sum Of $780,"
These words fell upon the scene like
a thunder-bolt. There was few min
I tes dead silence. Poor Ruth's de-
meanour was q painful study. Mrs.
Hayes TRADE had been intended as an
utterly unanswerable defiauce; but the
DOOR girl completely misunderstood her
and felt, for the first time in her young
life, that she had been u heavy burden
upon her kind foster-parents' bounty.
These last words-the strangers offer
OF what appeared to her so stupendous
q sum of money-fnally decided her.
Dear father-mother, she said, her
voice choking with emotion, IL nlaun
goo away fro you.'
"Oh, no, no. Mrs. Hayes exclaimed,
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Il did
not mean-'
"Hush, Lizzie! Her marln goo, if her
wants to. Ye said yerself, "Ruths al
lays raaght' Her maun goo!'
mo, she shall not!' came in a bold
and manly voice. It was her lover,
Mark Raybould, tall, broad-shoulder-
ed young fellow, who spoke these
words as he entered the room.
IL cc5T thee Sennnu" Re continued
"rll give you the $500, Simeon Rayes"
'sYou? Where'n you get it from?"
"a patent in machinery I've invented
I've kept it dark until now, because I
was afraid it might not come off. A
Mr.. Ryder Thornton is financing it for
me-"
The last words were spoken with
marked emphasis and seemed to have
told, for Vincent sprang tohis feet and
turned deadly pale.
'"rhis has nothing to do with the mat
ter in hand" he stammered. Il am
here to take Miss Preston home to her
friends"
"she shall go to them if she wishes,
but not in your company
"What do you mean?"
I'D rather not explain in her pres
ence.''
1Ltlul1, lIclIUlluS dHu COuluSeu ny COLI
ficting emotions, passed silently out of
the room.
"Now, Mr.. Hayes Mark said, II
can speak. You must know that I
first came to hear Of all this through
my business connection with Mr..
Thornton, Ruth's step-father; but when
he first told me the strange story lit
tie thought it so nearly affected me.
This Mr.. Vincent was sent to discover
Ruth. He recognized her by an unmis-
taxable birth-mark upon her arm; but,
struck by her beauty, he made other
plans. He pretended he could not find
her-that she was dead-and if she'd
left your home with him. it would have
been to go to her ruin.''
''You have no proofs!' Vincent cried,
violently.
II have this letter you wrote to Mr.
Thornton
'"That proves nothing"
Eyes, it proves that you're villain!
Read it, Simeon Hayes
With trembling hands the old man
opened the letter: Cannot find her.
Have discovered that your daughter
Ruth is dead Mark, Mark, it's just