The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-01-13
V all he would ask ne:

When she knew all he would ask he.
love in exchange.
Still there came no sound from the room
below, and Prank. burning to make a
trial of his fate. WAS quickly outside u
the door that had 50 often of late opened
to admit him TO happiness.
lie knocked, and there cap,p no ana@sr.
He knocked again, and bent MS ear
closer TO the panel.
Mas that a sob? YES, Swiftly Frank
flung open the door, and there. full length
on the eonch, her face buried among the
cushions, lay Ruth sobbing as ts.nush
her heart would break.
Two strides carried frank across tho
room, and, kIleeling ny her side. he AZ
tempted 10 pacity her.
Ruth, Ruth" he cried. What is tho
NATTER Tell me-"
The gin raised her head. and he saw
the utter misery in her eyes. Then. vain
a desliailing gesture, she inotioned nina
away.
What is The matter. Rnth9" asked
| Frank again.
You must go away-Sou must never see
me any more" She moaned.
Frank could hide his love no longer.
One hand stole up and caressei her hair.
and the other covered her tiny hands 5"
tightly elasped in the agony Of her greet
Ruth, little Ruth. tell me. L lows you.
he pleaded.
Al his words a new fear seemed Ia add
itself to the misery in her eyes. She stared
at MIN for what seemed AN etsrniry. Then
she whispered, so loN that he could iaaTl-
ly catch the words
"Iol-loNe-me?!''
Franks hand sought hers asain.
With all my heart" he said earnestly.
The girl sprang 10 her feet.
An, no, no, no. she cr'ed. You must
not, You must no., Go. Go away You
,,,,,-, ,a,.l, ,.a. va.- ,o.ihii
"Ruth-'
No, no, You say You love me 30,
then. You do not know what this MEANS
to me-"
Frank gaaed perpleNingiy at the girl
standing before him with fingers inter
laced appealinsiy. Then he turned slowly
on HIS heel ana went from The room
Tho next day he found ON his desk a
long, fat blue envelope.
IRON Ruth be cried. and toTe it
open. Rapidly he scanned tho note that
fell out.
ing. II shall have gone out of your lie
when you read these lives. Though Gould
not teil you to your face, Yet it ~ due
10 You to know that | am an Infamous
creature not worth your lightest thonsht-
My presence in the house was a rick,
: and my behavior WAS the carrying out OF
5 a trick, to win from you. for my '4ne!es
5 benefit. the secret of your invention
4 "Irrom your talk ! CLEANED but little.
but The little You did tell me has en-
abled me by the aid of stolen visits to
your room 10 piece together the Who'e OF
that which YOU think is known to no ono
4 save yourself. If NoU doubt me. read IN"
inclosed notes which, had l held to my
t bargain and kept faith with my 'incle.
g would now be in his hands and not in
$ yours. their rightful owner.
IF YOU would know why ! have done
, this thing, say ii is because assocta non
with Won haS made me n little better Lld!U
: / was when we FIRST met. Forgive me IL
V you can, and rest assured that your se-
crct is as safe now as ever ii was. Again.
good bye"
With an exclamation of mingled horror
and surprise Frank seized the sheets of
iotes and read through them wonder.ngiy.
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 oscopa, though, and he would GER
tainly settle with Isaacs for his viiiiany
Meanwhile he must find Ruth, for all he
desired was that she should love him as lie
did her, and until he could be sure OF that
even the safety of his Invention was AS
nothing to him. What did 1t matter that
she had been the tool of a thief? She
had rcpented, and love is very forsivirs'
Somehow or other this note, SC full OF n
girls despair, seemed like Il messenger OF
great hope TO him.
Frank dashed downstairs. Isaacs must
know where his niece had fled. He sought
him in the warehouse and the shoI. no
was in neither place.
The cellar door stood open. There vas y
chance that the pawnbroker might DO
there. and downstairs Went the seeking,
impa tient lover.
The celler staircase led 10 a passage
which ended at another door. Frank was
just about to open This when he nearG
voices and paused.
WI YOU tell?'' asked a man g1ufay. 1t
was Isaacs.
There was no answer but the listener
heard q metallic click and the turning of
a rusty screw.
Then came the brutal voice again
"Will You tell me now?'
Again no answer. and again the click
and squealing of the steel screw, folio wed
this time by Z low groan-a woman.
groan.
With a shout Frank burst open the door
AZ the far end of the dimly-lighted Gel.
lar he saw Ruth tightly bound to what APP,
peared to be a merchants copying press
Her thumbs We're between the steel plates
BY her side, holding the pressure screw
stood Isaacs.
Frank dashed at him. and, with one
'u clean blow, sent him spinning into a cor.
ner, where. he fell and lay.
m, Quick as thought he gave the screw
mighty twist and released the tension
NJ Then he tenderly unbound the fainting gir
Id and carried her to her room.
az Luckily he had visited the cellar in time
Of and, though the pam must have been ter
he ,loie' ~ toulu sec una, the slii ha1 no
of nec' se'louslS injured by 'he mend VINO
had he not been stopped, would doubt
less have manned her for life. or perhap.
- killer in his maddened endeavor to wrini
10y from her the secret she had determine,
az to hold.
~. AS Frank laid her gently down he kisse,
"a her lips, and then her closed eyes. Slowl:
Gu she opened them.
NJ darling, my darling, why did yo,
he do this thing for me?'' he cried.
tie because l love you. Frank" whispere,
of Ruth. Then she felt his strong arm
lg. tighten around her. she gave a little slsl
of content.
CornmeaI Abroad.
Commercial Tribune: European
countries have not heen backward h