The evening times., 1895-08-13
RUTH DID NOT SAY mo"
And Yet She Kept the Word She
Pledged to George Wilm1t.
Concluded from The Morning Times.

Fervently he pressed the hand he held
to his Lips.
Dearest" he exclaimed, 81 will work
for you and love you every hour Of my
life"
That's how It ended. That is why
Ruth wished she had said mo" instead
OF Yes" or been able to reverse her
dictum by wiring from Cape Teneriffe.
The prospect of having To break the news
to Aunt Priscilla herself was simply aw-
full Still IL had to be done, and with ner-
vOus trembling she was conveyed from the
country railroad station TO Blythedene.
ON arriving at Grayeseud her aunt's
maid had met her, and with George Will
mots help, lad got her luggage, that is,
what she required; the rest was to come
from the docks. Then the lovers had
parted-for q time
Aunt Priscilla's house was very pretty
one, and Aunt Priscilla was still the
bright, animated little lady Ruth remem-
bered. She gave her niece hearty well
come, evidently rejoiced TO see her. Then,
after she had rested aud refreshed, took
her over the place.
Leaning on her arm, she kept saying:
And this will he yours, my dear, when
I am gone. You will take care Of this,
will you uot?" etc, etc. .;Ah, ] am SO
glad you sent that telegram-that you
are going to marry my, Maurice. It's SO
easy to give my fortune 10 YOU bo th now"
Then Ruth plucked up courage, but white
and shaking said:
"But, dear aunt, / am very sorry-I am
when l sent him that answer, but l can't
now"
Gould then? Cant now?" cried Aunt
Priscilla, shrilly, starting away. What
does the girl mean?"
"Mean, dear aunt, what ! say" replied
Ruth quietly. regretfully. II am so sorry,
very sorry. II had guessed what would
occur l would not have answered as did, (,
nor have put you 10 expense. Indeed
would not. But will pay you back, dear
aunt, yet, If you will let me-"
Whatever does the girl mean? Your SEN
tences are all n tumble IL you had guessed
WHAT" exclaimed Aunt Priscilla, wrath
fully
Aunt, the truth is when wired to you
my heart was my own. Now 1t is anoth-
er's''
You mean you are in love? How can
that be, and you started from Australia at
once?"
Il met the gentleman on board the Al
thea"
And what do you know Of him? Moth
ing?"
II know that he is an electrical engineer
and-poor. He has not two hundred
year"
And you would sacrifice your future for
that paltry income?'
1T is not the income of which i think,
aunt. but the man." seriously. II love
him"
"Fudgei A deck courtshipi Come 10
your reason-wait till you see Maurice"
1T would be no good, aunt"
Mind, il you don't marry my boy,
leave you nothing nothing"
II will forgive you, aunt, If you let me
have your affection. Think, to marry
your boy and loving somebody else. would
be i grievous wrong TO Maurice, who VIII
not break his heart about me-
II should think not. Why should he7"
cried the old lady, pacing the path. ITO
reflect, how l have been building upon
this unioni Have you no care for my age?"
II am SO sorry, aunt"
"Sory-bah! There, IN give you until
tomorrow to reflect You haven't seen
Maurice yet"
Aunt, if you gave me a lifetime, it would
be of no use. l have offended you. III
leave at once"
You can't leave at once. You shall re-
flect-you shall see Maurice. Then, If you
can refuse my boy, you may go. Now,
I'm going into tea. You had better come,
too"
That was not q pleasant afternoon for
either lady. Both were glad when it was
over. Ruth would have been pleased to
have left the next morning early, but she
had given her promise to wait for Maurice,
30 could not.
Miss Priscilla was not IN early riser.
She had n light breakfast in her room, then
more substantial one at IL. Thus Ruth
had the morning to herself, to wander about
disconsolately.
She was on the lawn, when, to her sur
prise, she saw George wilmot making
signs to her through the iron gate giving
on to the road.
May l come in?' he asked when she
went to him Il am so anxious to learn
how matters have gone
Gould not have gone worse" said Ruth,
hesitating; then, Yes, come in-why should
you not? I'll introduce you to Aunt Pris-
ella"
"AIl right"
He came in, but had scarcely got to the
lawn than Aunt Priscilla appeared at the
windo W then stepped out and briskly came
toward them.
"She does not look angry" said Ruth.
"Then she does not know who you are.
Dear aunt" advancing little, this is
NJ Ga,roo Wiln,ot
'That-that!" cried the old lady point
ing at him. why, it's my boy, Maurice"
Ruth turned blankly to the gentleman,
who had burst into laugh.
what does sitmean?"s she exclaimed.
This, dear cousin. 1 could not bear the
idea of your travelling all that long journey
alone. I could not bear being taken as pis
aller. wanted you to love ME as love
you, so, unknown to any one, / shipped to
the cape, met the Althea there and intro
duced myself as George Wilmct. Am for
given?" 1lTqAy
Forgiven? Fudge!" cried Aunt Pris-
ella, laughing. "Of course you are. There,
come in to breakfast. We shall not part
to-day, nor for many one, either"
And Ruth, smiling, did not say NO
Young Ladies' journal.
You can find all the news in the
Morning Times.