The Opelousas courier., 1898-04-23

vi COufSe SuS VIII, Sdll VIC lAohA
who knew her best. "Why shouldn't
she? He's the sane Rodney Dare
now that he was when she promised to
marry him, isn't hep
eyes, but there's a difference" was
the reply. "Then he had another
arm to fight the battle of life with.
Now-well, [ suppose it won't make
any difference with Ruth. She always
was peculiar"
"rhank God for such popularity"
said her friend. ".5he wouldn't be
the woman [ have always believed her
to be if she refused to marry him be-
cause he had lost an arm. She will
take its place to him. I know Ruth
Trevor too we'll to believe that the
idea has aver occurred to her that this
loss need make the slightest difference
in their plans"
And her friend was right. When,
one day, Rodney Dare said to Ruth:
II have come to tell you that, Of
course, I do not expect to hold you to
your promise to me, under existing
circumstances, if you care to with
draw it," she rose up before him with
something akin to anger in her face
and looked him ~squarely in tue eyes.
"Haye / ever given you any reason
to think 1 cared to withdraw it?" she
asked.
"No," was the reply. "But when
you gave it [ was man. Now [ am
but part of one"
'I'll take that part of the mar
that's Left" she said. cts the part
that the Rodney Dare I 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. It was almost like beginning
life over in learning to make one arm
do the work Of two, but he had a brave
heart and a strong will, and love stood
ready to help him in the times when
he felt inclined to become dis
couraged.
One day Ruth said to him:
"I'm going away for a month or
two. I've had a letter from Aunt Mar
tina, who lives in the prettiest little
country village you ever saw, and she
wants me to visit her. [ shall enjoy
a breath Of pure air so much! Only,
I wish you were going with me, Rod
ney. l shall think Of you back here
in the city and feel half ashamed of
myself for having such a good time
that you cannot share"
81 shall share it in thinking how
much good it is doing you,"
he said. zone does not always have
to take part in the pleasure Of others
to be benefited by them. There's a
sort of reflex influence, you know"
"That sounds quite metaphysical"
laughed Ruth, "but 1 think I under
stand what you mean, and I promise
to enjoy myself to the utmost in order
that you may feel this reflex inau-
ence' to the fullest extent"
Before Ruth had been at Aunt Mar
tha's two days she found that she had
been invited there for a purpose.
"Your cousin Hugh is coming next
week." said Aunt Martha. 81 wanted
you to meet him. | know you'll like
him-at least, I hope you will, and the
better you like him the better suited
I'll be-"
Ruth looked at her questioniugly.
"You wonder what sort of a plan I
have in my head, I suppose" said
her aunt. "I'm not going to say any
thing more about it now, but Hugh
knows"
II infer that it is a sort of matri-
monial plan," said Ruth. eff it is,
put it aside at once! 1 may like my
cousin very mrch-I hope I shall
but I could not marry him."
"Why?" asked Aunt Martha.
Because I am to marry Rodney
Dare" answered Ruth.
"And who is Rodney Dare?" cried
Aunt Martha.
Then Ruth told her about her
lover.
"a man with one arm!" cried Aunt
Martha, 'sand a poor man, too! You're
foolish, Ruth"
"Perhaps So" said Ruth, quietly,
but with a brave steadfastness in her
voice. "But, foolish or not, I love
him. I have promised to marry him,
and I shall keep my word"
"You've got the obstinacy of the
Trevors in you," said Aunt Martha
grimly. "But this stubbornness OF
yours may make a great difference with
your future prospects, as we'll as my
plans. I have considerable property
that must go to the children of my
two brothers. You represent one Of
them, Hugh the other. I wanted you
to marry. each other and keep the
property together. If you persist in
your determination to marry this Rod
ney Dare, Hugh may get it all"
"Let him have it." said Ruth. "All
the wealth in the world wouldn't in
fuence me in the least in this mat
ter"
you're a Trevor all through" said
Aunt Martha, angry, yet adniring the
spirit of her niece in spite of herself.
swell, since you've made up your
mind, we'll let the matter drop; but
if you are not mentioned in my viii
you needn't be surprised"
81 haven't asked to be remembered
IN it, "sa:d Ruth. 81 don't want you to
think for a moment, Aunt Martha, that
I care for your money. I assure you
I have 9 given it a thought"
"Perhaps not" responded Aunt
Martha, 'ibut money comes handy
sometimes, and one wants to think
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