The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1911-11-09
why, You Don't Mean to Say That
You Thought | Wouldn't Stand by
Him?"
Him?"
I not three hcuss before.


Him?"
- not three hcu:s before.
i The three hours had been busy ones
at the actress apartment. Lefty
Lanes sitttng-room was full of trunks.
dressing bags and travelling parapher-
MALTA. She came forward out of what
seemed world of confusion, dressed
as though for journey, even her veil
and her gloves denoting her departure.
She spoke hurriedly and almost with
out politeness
Il have sent for you to come and
see me here. Not soul in London
knows l am going away. There will
be dreadful row at the theater, but
thats none of your affairs. Now. |
want you to tell me before go Just
what you are going to do for Dan"
Who are you going with?" Ruggles
asked shortly, and she flashed at him:
well, really, don't think that is
any of your business. When you drive
woman as you have driven me, she
will go far"
He interrupted her vehemently, not
daring to take her hand. Il couldn't
do more. / have asked you to marry
me. l couldn't do more / stand by
| what l have said. Will you?" he
stammered.
She knew men. She looked at him
keenly. Her veil was lifted above her
eyes and it's shadow framed her small
pale face on which there were marks
of utter disenchantment, of great en-
nui She said languidly: What /
want to know is, what you are going
to do for DAMP"
81 told you I would share with
him.
Then he will be nearly as rich?"
He'll have more than is good for
him."
That satisfied her. Then she pur-
sued. 81 want you to stand by him. He
will need you"
Ruggles lifted the hand he held and
kissed it reverently. "I1I do any
thing you say-anything you say"
Downstairs in the Savoy, as Dan
had done countless times, Ruggles
waited until he saw her motor car
carry her and her small luggage and
Higgins away.
In their sitting-room in the Carlton
a half-hour later the door was thrown
open and Dan Blair came in like
mailman. Without preamble he seized
Ruggles by the arm.
Look here" he cried, what have
you been doing? Tell me now, and
tell me the truth, or, by God, l don't
know what I'll do. You went to the
Savoy. You went there twice. Any
how, where is she?"
Dan, slender as he was beside Rug
gles' great frame, shook the elder man
as though he had been a terrier.
Speak to me. Where has she gomez"
He stared in the Westerner's face,
his eyes bloodshot. 'Why in thunder
don't you say something's"
And Ruggles prayed for some power
to unloose his thickening tongue.
You say she's gomez" he ques-
toned.
81 say" said the boy, "that you've
been meddling in my affairs with the
woman love. l don't know what you
have said to her, but it's only your
age that keeps me from striking you.
Don't you know" he cried, that you
are spelling my life? Don't you know
that?" A torrent of feeling coming
to his lips, his eyes suffused, the tears
rolled down his face. He walked away
into his own room, remained there
for fc wi hn
again he carried in his hand his va
lise, which he put down with bang
on the table. More calmly, but still
in great anger, he said to his fathers
friend:
"Now, can you tell me what you've
done or not?"
"Dan," said Ruggles with difficulty,
eff you will sit down moment we
can"
The boy laughed in his face. "Sit
down." he cried. ''Why, / think you
must have lost your reason. I have
chartered a motor car out there and
the damned thing has burst a tire and
they are fixing it up for me. 1t will
be ready in about two minutes and
then / am going to follow wherever
she has gone. She crossed to Paris,
but I can get there before she can
even with this damned accident. But,
before / go, want you to tell me
what you said"
why" said Ruggles quietly, 81 told
her you were poor, and she turned
you down."
His words were faint
"God!" said the boy under his
breath. @That's the way you think
about truth. Lie to woman to save
my precious soul! But / expect" he
said; you think she is so immoral
and so bad that she will hurt me.
Well" he said, with great emphasis,
"she has never done anything in her
life that comes up to what you've
| done. Never! And nothing has ever
hurt me So"
(To be continued.)