The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-10-21
When she knew all he would ask her

nOng open the door, ana there, full length
on the couch, her face buried among the
cushions, lay Ruth, sobbing as though
her heart would break.
Two strides carried Frank across the
room. and. kneeling by her side, he at
tempted to pacify her.
Ruth, RUTH" he cried. What is the
matter? Tell me?'
The girl raised her head, and he saw
the utter misery in her eyes. Then. with
a despairing gesture, she motioned him
away.
What is the matter, Ruth?" asked
Frank again.
you must go away-you must never see
me any MORE" she moane
Frank could hide his love no longer.
One hand stole up and caressed her hair.
and the other covered her tiny hands SO
tightly clasped in the agony of her grief.
Ruth, little Ruth, tell me. I love you,
he pleaded. .
AT his words a new fear seemed to d
itself to the misery in her eyes. She stared
at MIN for what seemed an eternity. Then
she whispered, SO low that he could hard,
ly catch the words
"You-loVe-me?"
Frank hand sought hers again.
with all my heart ,Ale said earnestly.
The girl sprang to her feet.
"Ah, no, no., no." she cried. You must
not! You must not! Co! Go away! You
must never see me again!"
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 .
long. fat blue envelope.
From Ruth!'' he cried. and tore 1t
open. Rapidly he scanned the note that
fell out.
Good bye" IT ran without any greet
ing. 81 shall have gone out of your lie
when you read these lines. Though I could
not tell o to your face. yet It 10 duo
to you to Know hat I am an Infamous
creature not worth your lightest thought.
My presence in the house wa a trick.
and my behavior was the carrying out OF
a trick, to win from you, for my uncle's
benefit, the secret of Jul invention.
From your talk I CLEANED but little.
but the little you did tell me has en-
abled me by the aid Of stolen visits to
your room to piece together the Who'll OF
that which you think is known to no one
save yourself. II you doubt me, read the
inclosed notes which, had I held to my
bargain and kept faith with my uncle,
would now be in his hands and not in
yours. their rightful owner.
IF you would know why I nave done
his thing, say 1t is because association
with you has made me a little better than
I was when we first met. Forgive me II
you can, and rest assured that your Sc
cret Is as safe now as ever 1t was. Again.
good Bye
With an reformation of mingled horror
and surprise Frank seized the sheets OF
notes and read through them wonderingly.
Save for a few unimportant details. Ruth
had indeed learned hts secret from A to z.
and the evidence was in his hands.
In his hands. Safe! 1t had been a mar
I ~-r l-,,- @r~1 Hn pOSsv no~-
tainly settle with 1saacs for his villiany
Meanwhile he must find Ruth, for all he
desired was that she should love him as he
did her, and until he could he sure OF that
eve the safety of his invention was az
nothing to him.. What did it matter that
she had been the tool OF a thief? She
had repented. and love is very forgiving.
Somehow or other this note, 30 full Of q
girls despair, seemed like a 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 shop. He
was in neither place.
h cellar door stood open. There was 4
chance that the pawnbroker might be
there, and downstairs went the seeking.
impatient lover.
The cel;er staircase led to a passage
which ended at another door. Frank was
just about to open this when he heard
voices and paused.
Will you tell?' aske a man gruffy. It
was Isaacs.
heard a 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 ~squeaking of the steel screw, followed
groan.
With a shout Frank burst open the door
At the far end OF the dimly-lighted eel.
lar he saw Ruth tightly bound to what ap-
peared to be a merchants copying press.
Her thumbs were between the steel plates.
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 CAV the screw q
mighty twist and released the tension.
Then he tenderly unbound the fatntinK girl
and carried her to her room.
Luckily he had visited the cellar In time.
and, though the pain must nave been ter.
rtble. he could see that the girl had not
been seriously injured. by the lend who,
had he not been stopped, would doubt.
less have manned her for life, or perhaps
killer in his maddened endeavor to wrins
from her the secret she had determined
to hold. "
AS Frank laid her gently down he kissed
her Lips, and then her closed eyes. Slowly
she opened them,
MY darling. my darling. why did you
do this thing for me?'' he cried.
Because l o you. Frank" whispened
Ruth. e she felt his strong arms
tighten around her. she gave q little sieh
OF content.
Cornmeai Abroad.
Commercial Tribune: E,,ronean
countries have not been backward IN
a~ppreciating h value of cornneaI n
q food product. Fifteen years = this
country was exporting to Europe about
100000 bushels Of corn. Now Il n