The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1910-07-07

answered his summons. give this
note to Mrs. Waid at half-past seven
Not before-understand
Then, as the man slipped noiseless
ly out of the room, Waid donned his
coat and hat and went stolidly down
the front steps to the wintery street
Ruth Waid, standing at the head OF
the stairs, had heard those brief in
structions to Edward. No sooner was
the front door closed behind her hus
band than she summoned Edward to
her.
"Mr. Waid left note for me?" she
asked Somehow she felt some vague
premonition that trouble impended.
1T was to be delivered at half-past
seven, ma am" said the imperturb'
able Edward.
Bring it to me now" she com.
manded.
Alone in her room above the stairs
she read it, gasped and read it again.
Then she called for the carriage and
her wraps.
Ten minutes later she was bowling
along the cheerless streets, covered
now with a fine, powdery snow which
was sitting down, toward the station.
Arrived there, she sent back the car
riage, looked up on a time table the
schedule of western trains and took
up her vigil at the gates half hour
before the departure of each and wait
ed there until the gates were closed
as the train started.
1t was not until nine o'clock that
she saw her husband coming through
the wide center arch to the train shed.
She hurried away from the gate and
from distance watched him show his
ticket, pass through the gate and
down the platform. Then she, too,
passed down the platform and boarded
one of the ordinary coaches.
The train had pulled out into the
cold night. The city was behind and
in the white, open country, where
lights were growing more and more
infrequent, the train was gathering
speed.
Robert Waid sat stolidly in his Sec
ton of one of the sleepers, his face
close to the frosty window pane,
watching the white landscape slip
past.
Ruth had read his note by this time,
he reflected. She had probably wept
over it perfunctorily and then called
up Hastings, the attorney, to see what
provision had been made for her. He
smiled to himself as he fancied her
relief when she found it was SO ample.
Some one had sat down beside him
without SO much as asking leave.
Waid turned, stared in unbelief, and
then sat up very straight.
RUTH" he cried.
Silently her hand was slipped into
his own, just as it had been wont to
do in those old, old days-the days of
the first struggles, when they had
sat together in the shadows of eve
ming, building air castles together and
dreaming great dreams.
"Where are you going?" he STAN
mered at length, namely.
"Where are you going?" she asked
very quietly,
"Me? l don't know. West some
where. I'm going to start over. I'm"
She smiled and her fingers tight
ened about his own.
"Then that is where l am going.
West somewhere, to start all over
with you"
"You can't" he said, almost harshly
ut means"
Don't know what it means?' she
asked. "Work, work. fight and strug
gle, just as it was in those glorious
days before. And in the evenings
Well dream our dreams and build our
air castles all over again. Oh, Rob
ert, you silly, silly boy, you thought il
was what we got that cared for; but
you were wrong. It was the struggle
that was the real fun-the fight
against odds, close together, oh, sc
very close together in those days, Bob
dear, you and L."
In the back of the car two grinning
porters watched a couple in certain
section and nudged each other delight
edly.
zone O. dem yere spoony middle
aged horeymoons," said the first
"Uh-huh," assented Number Two
"Oughter fall fer good fat tips, de ole
boy had"
The Thnunh+e If Voufh