The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-24
RUTH'S ENGAGEMENT,
BY HENRY EDLIN.
Author of The Last Division" Etc.
Copyrighted, 1896. by Henry Fdlin.

.-.ar
OldthWaite, the motherly landlady, came
IN 70 remove the remains of the meal.
Ruth casually inquired If Miss Dalton
We're at home Yet.
'Lor' no, missr' exclaimed the worthy
woman L don't expect her whOam TIN
nlgh on midnight; she were bound for
supper WI sum gents an theayter folk
at L sun, she tOwed me, an wouldn't be
whOam till later
But y o'clock struck. and Kittie did not
return. Ruth felt terribly anxious: HAD
anything happened to the girl2 AT I-l5
hutn laid down the book she had been
Nalnly trying 10 read, and a smart knock
was heard at the front door. The land
Lddy answered II, starting from a COM
Portable dOze by the kitchen fire to do so
A messenger had come from the sun
with an urgent note for Miss Fiennes Ho
20 the passage on hearing her name
and vanished into the darkness
MISS y Alton is i'll, said Ruth, after
manager of the hotel, who asks that some
one should so and fetch her home. Poor
chlid. Can Jim fetch me cab from tile
But think O. tn time O. night. mfss,r
demonstrated Mrs. Oldthwaite. "Walt til
morn on, well. if you viii goa, Jim
minds fixed it's no use me trying to shift
SO. Jim dressed and fetched the cab
hulh, throwing a shawl over her head
ana a wrap across her shoulders, entered
bne vehicle, and told the driver to take
her to the hotel. She never thought of
the consequences to herself never thot1ght
OF Wnat others might say; she only
thought that in all probability her little
WllIul friend was in trouble, and that
IL was ner duty to go to her aid. She
was foolish, no doubt; but who that seeks
10 90 goodly deed is not, from worldly
point of view?
The cab drove smartly up to the hotel
entrance, and the night porter answered
the drivers knock. ''Yus. Miss De Hal
ton was hups airs with the supper pawty.
wasn't the young lady hill? Not as he
Well, he would see"
But before he could say any more Ruth
rushed past him and up the wide staircase
towards a room wheretO she was guided
by the sounds of a piano and the voice of
glrl singing comic song. The voice was
hlIue s. 1t was odd for a sick girl to be
singing a comic song For an instant
Ruth hesitated-What was Kittfe to her2
Her sister, her conscience told her. and a
woman to be saved from the consequences
Oh Of her own folly; So she knocked, not
timidly, but loud enough to be heard
ABOVE the ain OF the merry makers.
Miss H1ennesW exclaimed every one,
as she entered in answer to their sum
quite UNI spected hon'r; but I thought
you'd come when you knew I was here"
sad Harold Fame, who was present, cross
lng 10 Rutn and attempting to take her
hand, But she gave him a look of con-
tempt and lifted her hand with a gesture
OF disgust that abashed him.
1t was an unpleasant scene to be wit
messed by modest girl, that Bohemian"
party. Champagne bottles stood thickly
on the now disordered table; the air was
heaYy with the fumes of smoke; and at
the open piano stood Kittie Dalton, until
now the only woman I'm the room. The
others present were Of the Birfield fast
set Of young men, for the most part sons
OF hardWorking manufacturers, and two
actors, Harold Fame and Tommy Dixon.
Every man rose to his feet as Ruth en-
tered, for their brains were not so wine-be-
muddled but that they felt themselves in
Jhe presence OF a lady. kittie tried to
brazen out the. situation, but her effort
was hopeless failure; and Ruth saw with
pain that her foolish little friend had been
drinking more than was good for her. The
girl was smoking, too, little thinking how
very like pollution looked the cigarette
that disgraced her pretty lips. Ruth soon
recovered from her astonishment, and with
some indignation in her voice she said, ad-
dressing the company generally
l did not expect this. Why was I sum-
moned here?"
"Oh, come I say We know" replied Jack
Crosby, the chief of the party; that's
leetle too good, by Jovel You should come
out in tragedy, really; you'd do it first rate.
You know why you came here, and so do
we. Have a drink?" and he offered her a
glass of wine as he spoke.
Ruth refused the wine with a gesture. ct
came her" she said. coldly; 'in answer to
an urgent note purporting to be from the
manager of the hotel"
Crosby and the others laughed loudly.
Come" jeered Crosby, that's too good,
about?"
1T stated that Miss Dalton was ill.," re-
turned Ruth, with some difficulty restrain
ing tears of indignation. Probably the
writer was mistaken" with a glance at
Kittie, ''but Miss d Alton, I have a cab at
the door, will you return with me?" She
turned to open the room door as she
spoke, only to find Fame standing before
it as though TO bar her exit There was
an evil smile of triumph on his face, and
Ruth's heart gave a great beat as she
at length realized her peril.
''No, no, my Lady Righteous" said
Fame, mot so fast. It's been enough trou-
bic to get you here, and you shan't go
till you've whetted your whistle and sung
US a song-I thought I could make you
come. off your prudes perch. What do you
A shout of approval was their reply.
oh" sobbed Ruth, struggling to be
brave, Il have been deceived in some way.
Miss D'Alton-Kittie are you a party to
it?' Kitty hung her head. rs there not
one among you who will help me? Is
there not one gentleman here?'
She looked round appeaingly into the
leering faces. She thought of ringing or
screaming for assistance; but only for an
inStant-hoW doubly worse would be her
poSltlon II she mace scenef Ihen, as
her head sank for moment on her breast,
Tommy Dixon who had been trying to
collect his thoughts crossed to her side.
Yes" he said, in answer to her appeal,
Eyes, Miss Fiennes, there is. Fame, you re
a liar He told US, Miss Fiennes that he
had but to write a line and you would
come-that you dared not refuse. Don't
deny it''-as Fame attempted to speak,
TASK the fellers if he didn't We laughed
at him, Miss Fiennes; but he asked for
paper and an envelope, wrote something
and sent it to you by a messenger, saying
we would see he was right. Then you
came in, and we naturally thought he
had spoken true. Let me look at the
note?"-he snatched the paper from
Ruth's trembling fingers-"Ah, braggart!
Telling you Kittie was i'll, and pretending
to us that you were head over heels In
love with him. But I'll make it warm for
him; and I'll see you out of this, tool"
The valiant little man took Ruth's hand
as he spoke; but though the girl thanked
him, she said she could not leave without
kittie. kittie made one last stand against
her better angel; then all her bravado left
her as she recognized how noble Ruth
had been, and she rushed across the room,
to the arms of the friend who had come
to rescue her from what she dared not
name, even to herself.
oh" she cried, Il have been foolish
foolish But they told me you would be
here, Ruth, and-and I believed them"
Now. then" said Tommy, addressing
Fame, for the others were too amazed
or stupeded to be aught but passive
spectators of the scene, now then stand
out of the way, or little as I am, by
George, I'll make your
L.