The herald., 1896-01-18

minutes; then the man rolled over, and
p,anting his elbows in the heather looked
up determinedly into his companions face
An inkling of the truth had reached his
brain.
'sRuth. must know. 1t is only fair that
you should tell me why you have changed
so to me.'' Dead silence. The girl looked
away and made no attempt to reply. Wont
YOU tell me?" he said, wistfully. You
are making me very miserable, dear" His
voice was quite sad and pleading; it touched
the girl in spite of herself.
81 am? Oh, Mark!' The tears almost
came into her eyes, but she smiled in
stead GLOW can l make you unhappy"
Because l love you, Ruth, and l cannot
bear this something that has arisen up be-
tween US; it drives me mad, Ruth, my
dear little girl; don't you know how l love
you, and that I want you to be something
very, very much nearer than a friend2"
The smile died away from her face; che
grew very pale, and her fingers trembled
little as she played with the heather, bu:
she spoke calmly, almost coldly. II did not
know it was me you loved,' she said.
81 have never loved any one else, not with
real love, such as I have for you. may
have admired others-yes, and perhaps
thought myself in love with them for
time; but that is all so different; you know
it is
Eyes, think I know" she said; "but it
might happen again"
Il do not think it would,' he eaid, seri-
ously. 81 never knew until l came back
this time, and-and began to feel that 1
might lose you, how much I loved you,
dear" He wondered then why she smiled so
oddly. "You must have seen it, Ruth"
''But. Mark, how about that other girl
that Irish girl? Aren't you-don't you-
care for her?"
"Pooh!' said the man, with unfegned
fny hor1 7 did One
NAV 1irt with a girl like that, but as to
loving her, or-marrying her-well. l pity
the poor fool who does. She firte abomina-
bly,"
Then the girl smiled again, triumphant
little SMILE quite unintelligible to the man.
She knew that her course OF treatment hae
been successful; the cure was complete.
sWhy do you smile?" asked the man, per-
picked
"Because-oh, because am so happy"
Happy? Do you mean that?" catching
one Of her hands and kissing it passonately.
tThen it is to be--may I tell the old folks
that it has all come about as they wished?
Look at me, child. and tell me you really
mean it; that you do care"
Still she looked away intent on tearing
up the unfortunate heather by her side. The
man watched her in silent dismay: he could
not understand her in this variable mood.
"You do not care" he said at last, when
the silence ndQ D6COllIe uuDedl 1Ou
do not care, and you cannot make your
self.'
There was great sadness in his voice;
his face seemed in moment to have aged
and grown haggard. He turned over and
propped himself on one elbow, with his face
well away from hers
Something was laid on his bowed head. It
was Ruth's little hand. Mark" she said,
softly.
sNhat Is II Ruth 2"
"Look up want to tell you something"
He obeyed her, and turned very mlsera-
BILE pair of eyes toward her. Never mind,
little woman,'' he said, bravely. II know
you don't care--don't care" He stopped,
something in her face making him forget
what he was saying.
Her eyes were bright and shining, deli
cate flush crept over her cheeks. "You are
making mistake. I do care very, very
much" she said, earnestly. "It is all right
now," and, leaning toward him, she took
his face between her two hands and kissed
him gently on the forehead.
"You dear little soul!'' he cried, aston
ished at this unusual outburst on her part.
But she had buried her face in her hands to
hide the crimson that dyed her sweet face"
The Gentlewoman.