Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1898-10-05
Z K THEN Rodney Dare cam,


marry him.
'Of course she WILL" said the friend
who knew her best. "Why shouldn't
She! He's the same Rodney Dare now
that he was when she promised to mar.
ry him. isn't hep
Yes. but there's difference" was
the reply. Then he had another arm
to fight the bartle Of life with. Now
we'll, suppose 1t won't make any DIFF.
ference with Ruth. She always was
peculiar"
Thank God for such peculiarity,' u
said her friend. She wouldn't be the
woman | have always believed her to
be II she refused to marry him because
he had lost an arm. She will take it's
place to him. know Ruth Trevor too
well to believe that the idea has ever
occurred TO her that this loss need make
the slightest difference in their plans. y
And her friend was right. When,
one day, Rodney Dare said to Ruth: Il
have come TO tell you that of course
! do not expect to hold you to your prom
ise to me, under existing circum-
| stances, If you care 10 withdraw It,"
she rose up before him with something
! akin to anger in her face and looked
him squarely in the eyes.
Have | ever given you any reason to
think ! cared to withdraw III" she
asked.
NO. was the reply. But when you
gave it | was "a man. Now | am but
part of one
"Ill take that part of the man that's
left she said. Its the part that the
Rodney Dare ! love lives in. Never
| speak of this to me again" she added.
And he never did.
| But he would not talk of marriage
until he had obtained employment OF
some sort, and for this he began to fit
himself. 1t was almost like beginning
life over In learning to make one arm
do the work of two, but he had brave
heart and strong will, and love stood
ready to help him in the times when he
felt inclined to become discouraged.
One day Ruth said to him:
I'm going away for month or two
I've had a letter from Aunt Martha,
who lives in the prebtiest little country
village you ever saw, and she wants
me to visit her. l shall enjoy breath
of pure air so much Only. | wish you
were going with me. Rodney. | shall
think of you back here in the city, and
feel half ashamed Of myself for hav
Ing such good time that you cannot
share"
Il shall share 1t in thinking how
much good 1t is doing YOU he said
"One does not always have to take par
In the pleasures of others to be bene
flied by them. There's a sort Of reflex
influence, you know"
THAT sounds quite metaphysical
laughed Ruth, but | think | under
stand what you mean and | promise Il
enjoy myself to the utmost in ordel
that you may feel this reflex influence
to the fullest extent"
Before Ruth had been at Aunt Mar
| tha's two days she found that she hat
been invited there for a purpose.
Your cousin Hugh is coming mex
week. said Aunt Martha. II wanted
you to meet him. ! know you'll lik,
him-at least, hope you will, and tht
better you like him the better suitet
I'll be-"
Ruth looked at her questioningly.
you wonder what sort of plan
have in my head, suppose" said hel
aunt I'm not going to say anything
more about 1t now, but Hugh knows.
Il infer that 1t is some sort OF matri
monial plan" said Ruth. "lf 1t is, pu
II aside at once, | may like my cousin
very much-I hope l shall-but | could
not marry him."
why" asked Aunt Martha.
Because am to marry Rodney
Dare" answered Ruth.
And who is Rodney Dare" demand
ed Aunt Martha.
Then Ruth told her about her lover
"A man with one arm, too" cried
Aunt Martha, "and poor man, too
You're foolish, Ruth
perhaps So" said Ruth, quietly, but
with brave steadfaStness in hel
voice. But, foolish or not, | love him
| have promised to marry him and
shall keep my word
you've got the stubbornness of the
Trevors in you, see," said Aunt Mar
tba. grlmly. But this-this obstinacy
of yours may make a great difference
with your future prospects, as well al
my plans. | have considerable prop
erty that must go to the children of my
two brothers. You represent one OF
them. Hugh the other. wanted you Il
marry each other aud keep the prop
erty together. If you persist in YOU
determine ton to marry this Rodne!
Dare, Hugh may get 1t all.
LET him have 1t" said Ruth. "Al
rhe wealth in the world wouldn't infiu
ance me in the least In this matter
you're a Trevor, all through" sale
Amt Martha, angry, yet admiring th'
sprit of her niece in spite of herself
"Well, since you've made up your mind
Wen let the matter drop; but II you az