Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-01-13

when she knew all he would ask her
love In exchange.
Stili there came no sound from the room
below, and Frank, burning TO make a
trial Of his fate, was quickly outside OF
the door that had SO often of late opened
to. admit him TO happiness.
He knocked, and there came no answer.
He knocked again, and bent bis ear
closer TO the panel.
Was that n sob? Yes! Swiftly Frank
flung open the door, and there. fun length
on the couch. her face buried among the
cushions, lay Ruth, sobbing az though
her heart would break.
Two strides carried Frank across tho
room, and, kneeling by her sides se al
tempted TO pacify her.
Ruth, Rutht' he cried. What is the
matter? Tell me?"
The girl raised her head, and DE saw
the utter misery In her eyes. Them with
a despairing gesture. she motioned him
away.
What is the matter, Ruthg' asked
Frank again.
You must go ~away-you must never see
me any more she moaned.
Frank could hide his love no longer.
One HAND stole up and caressed her hair.
and the other covered her tiny hands so
tightly clssped in the agony OF her grief,
Ruth, little Ruth, tell me. / love you,
he pleaded.
AT his words a new fear seemed TO add
itself to the misery in her eyes. She stared
at MIN for what seemed an eternity. Then
she whispered, so low that he coutd hard
ly catch the words
"You-love-me?"
Franks hand sought hers again.
With all my heart he said earnestly.
The girl sDrang to her feet.
All, no, no. no!' she cried, You must
mott You must not! Go' Go away! You
must never see me again.
Ruth"
mo, no. You say you love me. Go,
then. You do not know what this means
to me-"
Frank gazed perplexingly at the girl
standing before him with fingers inter
laced appealingly. Then he turned slowly
on his heel and went from the room.
The next day he found ON his desk a
long, fat blue envelope.
From Ruth he cried, and tore it
open Rapidly he canned the note that
fell out.
Good bye II ran without any greet
ing. II shall nave gone out OF you life
when you read these lines. Though l could
not tell you to your face, yet IL Us due
10 you to know that / am an
creature not worth your lightest thought.
My presence in the house was n trick,
and my behavior was the carrying out OF
IL lTiCk,, 10 Win lIOIh JOuy ibl w. ~
benefit, the secret of your invention.
From your talk / CLEANED but little,
but the little you did tell me has en-
abled me by the aid of stolen visits 70
your room to piece together the whole ON
that which you think IS known to no ono
save yourself. If you doubt me, read the
inclosed notes which, had i held 10 my
bargain and kept faith with my uncle,
would now be i'm his hands and not in
YOURS. their rightful owner.
EFF you would know why l have done
this thing, say il is because assoclatior
with you has made me a little better than
| was when we first met. Forgive me IL
YOU can, and rest assured that your Sc
cret is as safe now as ever it was. Again,
good bye
With an exclommation of mingled horror
and surprise Frank seized the sheets OF
rotes and read through them wonderingly
Save for a few unimportant details. Ruth
had indeed learned his secret from a TO u.
and the evidence was in his hands.
In his hands. Safe. 1t had been a mar
row escope, though, and he would GER
tainly settle with Isaacs for his yilliany
Meanwhile he must find Ruth, for all he
desired was that she should love him as no
did her, and until he could be sure of that
even the safety of his invention was as
nothing to him. What did It matter thar
she had been the tool of a thief? She
AicA1 lNlJ+AlAN'Ay ntiA v - Wy ~
Somehow or other this note, so full OF a
girls despair, seemed like a messenger OF
great hope to him.
Frank dashed downstairs. Isaacs must
know where his niece had fed. He sought
him in the warehouse and the shop. He
was in neither place.
The cellar door stood open. There was D
chance that the pawnbroker might be
there, and downstairs went the seeking,
impa tient lover.
The celler staircase led to a passage
which ended at another door. Frank was
just about TO open this when he heard
voices and paused.
VIII you tell?" asked a man gTufhy. Ii
was Isaacs
There was no answer. but the listener
heard a metallic click and the turning OF
a rusty screw.
Then came the brutal voice again.
win you tell me now?1
Again no answer, and again the click
and s~qneaking Of the steel screw, followed
this time by a low groan-a woman's
groan.
with a shout Frank burst open tire dooi
AT the far end Of the dimly-Hshted cell
lar he saw Ruth tightly bound TO what APP
peared to be a merchants copying press.
Her thumbs were between the steel plates.
by her side, holding the pressure screw,
stood Isaacs.
Frank dashed at him, and. with one
clean blow, sent him spinning into a cor
ner, where he fell and lay.
Quick as thought he gave the screw a
mighty twist and released the tension.
Then he tenderly unbound the fainting girl
and carried her 10 her room.
Luckily he had visited the cellar I'm time.
and, though the pain must have been ter
rible, he could see that the girl had NOT
been seriously injured by the fiend who.
had he not been stopped, would doubt
less have MANNED her for life, or perhaps
killer In his maddened endeavor to wiring
from her the secret she had determined
to hold.
As Frank laid her gently down he kissed
her Fps. and then her closed eyes. Slowly
she opened them.
My darling, ny darling, why did you
do this thing for me2y he cried.
Because | love you, Frank whispered
Ruth Then she felt his strong arms
tighten around her. she gave a lfttle sigh
~ onfn,