Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-02-07
6beReturn.
%. BY.
Martha Cobb Sanford.
Copyrighted, 1908, by NJ. NJ. Cunningham.

For Ruth jeffrey as, with long drawn
sigh, she closed her desk at the end of
the day. What was there in it, after
all? she asked herself. She looked
ahead and imagined one day following
another in ulvaried monotony. She
fancied she could see her hair turning
gray and the color fading from her
cheeks, though for that it must have
taken q very big stretch of the imagi-
nation indeed.
And what return was life making
her for all the effort that she was put
ting into 1t? A negative reciprocation
at best. She was not compelled to
marry. She had proved herself capable
of independence. 1t was five years
since she had entered upon her bust
ness career. Her vim and optimism
had made for a success even beyond
her most sanguine anticipations.
Only a month ago she had accepted
at practically her own terms position
that hundreds of women might well
envy her and probably did. Surely 1t
was an unreasonable time for her to
feel blue and discouraged. There must
be some definite cause for her unrest.
Ruth set herself the task of discover
ing it.
Finally, with a somewhat shame
faced yet wistful little smile, she was
forced to admit that the disturbing
undercurrent began to ruf1e her
thoughts about the moment that she
had stood by her Office window that
morning and from the height of many
stories watched young man clad in
a fur lined overcoat step out of his re-
splendent motor car and enter the
building.
Who the man was did not matter,
nor that he was wealthy. 1t was the
woman In the car who stirred old
yearnings in Ruth's heart. She had
with her for comfort and inspiration
Through the day the memory Of
mans farewell kiss.
This pretty and refreshing bit Of
sentiment in the midst Of a hustling
workaday world Ruth had witnessed
nearly every morning. to be sure, since
she had been in her new position. But
never before had 1t plunged her into
such an implacable mood Of discomfort.
"WeH," she commented to herself as
she pinned on her little tailor made
hat, with a gesture of wholesome de-
termination, this will never do at all.
It's my own fault l refused him, and
that's all there is about it. At the time
matrimony seemed such an obvious,
commonplace transaction in compari-
son with the allurement Of independ-
ence-and now, we'll, it's no use think
ing about it / may bump into ro-
nance any day."
The wind on the night in question
was blowing a hurricane. When Ruth
tried to open the outside door of the
building, she found the resistance too
much for her strength and was obliged
to fall back a moment.
AS she made a second attempt the
door yielded with a suddenness that
almost upset her equilibrium. She
heard some one Immediately behind
her say, ALLOW me-" and was aware
of a masculine coat sleeve, fur lined,
holding back the door for her to pass.
Ruth thanked the auxiliary arm me-
chemically, half conscious Of tinge of
resentment in her gratitude that she
should be in any way beholden to the
man upon whom that woman, whom
she envied. also depended. But the
next moment. with characteristic i'm
pulsiveness. Ruth found herself chas-
Eng a derby hat down the sidewalk.
Just as she was about to rescue 1t
from an imminent mud puddle at the
corner something struck her fearful
blow, and she lost consciousness.
In the days OF delirium that followed
Ruth sometimes imagined that heavy
door was swinging back upon her; that
q man stood by and would not rescue
her. And again she would shrink in
fear from a plunging automobile that
bore down upon her, while the man
and woman within the car laughed
and kissed each other. And always
the man wore n fur lined oyercoat.
When Ruth had recovered suffi-
ciently to be interested in her sur
roundings, she noticed first the tall
fragrant American Beauties by her
bedside.
who sent them" she asked the
nurse Ianguidly.
a gentleman. Miss Ruth"
what gentleman
Faint and weak though Ruth's voice
was. the nurse detected in It a note OF
suspicion.
He did not leave his card. Miss
Ruth" replied the nurse, blushing nj
her own subterfuge. but Ruth did not
observe he confusion.
Why Mr. Mcdonald did not wish his
identity disclosed in connection with .
the roses the nurse did not know. But
he had insisted upon being an anony-
nous benefaCtor. and Il was not her .
concern 20 demand his reason for it.
what does he look like?' Ruth per
sisted +
Hes young and very distinguished
booking" asserted the nurse. both her
manner and words bespeaking unshak-
able conviction
And then came the crucial question.
Does Ee wear fur lined Uvercoaty-
mot always admitted the nsrse IN
. pathetic attempt 70 save the situa-
ton.
Il thought So returned Ruth Il
hate him
That's only natural I suppose. dear.
But yOu mpSt remember that he isn't
really - blame ~ il wss hfs car that
r.u fuso -o- AFsa~ fF.n n-~F4a-4 -