The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-04

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| communication existed not in those parts.
/ and the letter reached her by being
brought 20 Easser-s rancho by a Mexican
muleteer who went with his animals 10
/ the monthly fair az santa Re In that
| letter Jack said that he had found the
/ sale OF his property more difficult than he
I had imagined. AMI more encumbered by
1 legal diMcul-ies tlau he mad bargailed
/ for. and that most likely he would be a
month longer. or more. but that he would
I De- back before the winter was over " IN
l ter had gone and spring had come. and ne
had not returned. and GeOrfey Totten
was 10 that moment engaged N framing
excuses for his friends absence.
You don't know Eu-h. what difficulties
do possess a man when he tries 20 realize
his belonglngs. and 70 convert them into
money / think it's perfectly just and
proper that Jack should sell what ne
has. and come out here with sufficient
money 20 buy a home for YOU"
But I don't want H. Grand-dad has
land enough hyar 20 build half a dozen
cities. an he has nobody 70 leave IL 10
but me-
Yes" replied Godfrey. but YOU can't
live on Land that produces little more than
scorpions or rattlcsraEcs. OF al the most
some wild currants and wild grapes. and
especially when you won't Use the wealth.
that God has placed there this wiki
furtive, savage glance towards the line
Of the mountains that sheltered old Ras-
sett's house But" he went or. Il must
say that I don't mink I should have kept
you waiting so long / wouldn't have had
IL IN my heart 20 10 II. / fancy-althOugh
I'm not sure. because no one can be sure
Of what lie would DO If he is placed in an
emergency-but I fancy I should have let
the houses and horses and lands 90 10 the
dogs, and have come back 10 you here
With that he rose. What's the good Of
thinking that" he sighed. I'm a fool 1
ought not 10 speak as / do. Great shipper
ing fool that / am, saying things for hav-
ing spoken which l ought TO cut off my
tongue"
He stood with his arms crossed behind
his back. looking away from the girl,
splashing the water with one foot. listless-
~ and aimlessly. like a playing schoolbcy.
She had been making seemingly fraptic
efforts 70 tie the corner Of her frOcE into
knot, and she looked up as he had finished
his speech.
Then. do yew think that Jack ought
70 have cum back sooner?" she asked.
He turned 10 her with the fire Of pas
sion cleaning in mis- eyes.
do / Think" he asked, fervently. 81
don't think. 1 only know what l would
have done He stopped short, as If
frightened by what he had spoken, and
his voice became as soft as womans. Il
beg your pardon, Ruth. / don't know.
forgot myself. Don't think Of what
have been saying / couldn't help myself.
II was beyond me l only thought for the
moment what might have been if had
come TO you before him"
As he stood there before her with his
chest heaving and his face aglow, he
looked every inch as handsome and as
manly and as true as Jack-not so trust
worthy, perhaps, not so tender, nor so
safe a haven, perhaps, for her heart 10
rest in; but among the men whom she
daily met, Mexicans, hat-breeds and
worse. he looked a king, stalwart and
strong. as all women in those parts thought
men must be, TO be At objects for womens
love; for a puny man. or a man unable TO
defend himself and her whom he married,
was looked upon with derision and con-
tumely. Strength and fierce courage were
attributes equal, in women's estimation,
with love. patient devotion, and all other
noble qualities
Ruth Saw in Godfrey a burler strength
than Jacks. and heard a less tender
speech. Jack was TO her mind, the very
image of all a lover should be, but she
SAID 70 herself-"Next to Jack comes Geof-
frey"
No man can play with fire long and es-
cape being scOrched. No man in the prime
Of his youthful strength and health can,
day after day and week after week, pre-
tend TO make love TO a pretty girl and nor
come to perceive her lovable qualities.
No man can sit by pretty girls side and
whisper passionate yelled phrases into her
ear-hear her sighs-touch her hand-play
with her emotions-and himself escape
the contagion. Godfrey Totten had in
cluded his love making to Ruth Rassett
in his scheme for gaining possession of
the Canchito mine. He had come to the
New Mexican wilderness for the purpose
Of making a fortune. II on his road 10
fortune he should have to break woman's
heart-why, he was sorry, with such mild
contrition he was capable of, that it shoull
have to be. Ruth Rassett-her young life
her budding happiness-her hopes and
her fears-were nothing in his cold-blood-
ed calculations. He would have to gain
her confidence, her love-that had to be;
and in gaining her confidence and her love
he was so much nearer TO his goal.
But his treachery brought its own re-
venge. His thinly disguised professions
of love necessitated his close contact with
the girl and while looking in her eyes
and pretending to feast upon her charms
with all the devouring passion a man was
capable of, he was struck with the Singh
lar and natural loveliness of that wildly
nurtured western maiden. So bonny a
creature was surely worth the winning.
Those big deep blue eyes flashed through
him when he glanced at her, whether he
liked 1t or nay; and, bit by bit, and with
out his perceiving it, he came to think Of
Ruth Rassett herself as part of his
scheme He had to gain her love. and to
win her-not alone because through her
the Canchito mine would be his, but be-
cause he hungered for her. He loved her
with all the fierce passion his sudden
sweep of emotion was bound TO bring Tee
Canchito mine he would have with or
without Ruth. But he would marry Ruth
also, and at times he argued with him
self whether or not it were worth while
to throw over the mine and it's contingent
wealth for the sake Of gaining the girls
true love.
That same afternoon, as he stood by
Ruth's side, his passion famed through
him and set his whole being into fever
Jack would return soon. The winter
SHOWS had gone, and the plains and noun
tains were all well passable. Something
had detained Jack. and every day brought
danger. He knew that, with Jack at Ras-
setts rancho, his chance was gone, and
he made up his mind to be beforehand.
Jack Ormbridge should not return in time
He would win the girl by a trick, if need
be, but he would win her and Jack might
then come and upbraid him, perhaps
threaten and attack him. He would risk
all that, and, if need be, there were men
IN, tbat who for q -four ciIxro-