Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-01-17
Ills
Correspondence
F.
~. Course

and yet
Burt" she gasped. This can't
be you?''
i 1T can't he anyone else" ne insist
ed. May come in?"
Elushing, sne stood aside to let him
I mass. In her surprise she had forgot
Ten even 10 be hospitable. lie made
his way into The parlor as though II
"erc only yesterday that he had paid
his last cali.
The room vas little changed; az
lille changed az Ruth herself--and as
primiy precise. Even his photograph
vas stu in the little leather frame on
| he mantel. He crossed the room and
regarded il admirinely, though fhere
was lille TO call for admiration in the
| somewhat faded cabinet of the heavy
iowied pondero;!a bulked man with
nlacent smife lowering on rather
weak mouth. Ruth stood beside MIN.
Can you wonder" she asked. with
a nervous little laugh; that ! dla not
know you for moment"
Il doar thinl; you know me yet
was The unexpected reply. Tets SIT
down and gel acquainted.
He looked toward the old horsehair
covered sofa. but she moved toward
rocker by q stove. Beneath the bearu
ihe lips parted in half smile and he
sank into 3 nearby chair.
Got in Iast night" he rumbled, III
ansge. 10 her question. I'm only here
for 4 week. Game on 10 see man
and lie won't be back from Europe un'
til next Saturday"
u take it then that you live IN the
| west? ' Burton nodded.
Southwest would he more 7learly
correct" he said. Down in Arizona
ana Old Mexico mostly"
And This is your first visit east
! since" She paused and cOlored.
MY first since you opened your cor.
! rcspGndence school OF character Tor
! nation" he chucklcd.
MY what" she gasped.
"Mayhc you forget just how l came
20 go west" lie suggested She SHOOK
her head She remembered only too
we'll. Burton brooks had given up
posllion because lie did not like the
! work and saw no chance for advance
/ nert. She had broken her engage
| meni in = bitter letter in which she
had upbradcd him for his lack o! con
/. cenlulinn She rad been ready to for
| give and forget ihe day after, but II
was 100 late. Burton had gone on the
! midnight train. WhalenTille was u
iiag station and none knew his drsti
nation. That haG been four years ago
Evidently hr had NOT forgotten.
do You think il Find 10 spoil il al
BY referring to my unfortunate let
ter?" sine asked patiently.
II! wasn't unfortunate" he Insisted
You don'' know what lot OF good
that letter did me-. That's what ]
came 10 tei you
From his pDcketbook he drew out Il
sheet of tracing cloth and held II
toward her. "'rherc it is" lie said
IT'S been my Bible these last foul
years.
IN admit that when ! got it was
sore. vas sore Cor an hour. Then
! / realized two things. You were more
than half true and the rest OF II was
Llat you had worried yourself Sick
| over ME and most everyone else. You
always did have the trick Of wanting
/ 90 manage everyone you came in CON
tact Nth and sometimes the contract
| grew too large for you. You we're
worried because Jan Stevens ran
away with that actor fellGw--and so'
+, Jcn's share 100.
80 / just packed up and III ont. /
/ G!1n'i blame you for not wanting to
! marry me and ] didn't want To put
termination in Your way--or mine.
We'll, | GOT out 10 Chicago and got
4 job with construction company.
Every morning | read your letter ard
when II began TO grow ragged OIL the
edges copied it on tracing cloth.
Il simply couldn't talk back TO my
boss. remembering what you said. anq
so got ahead. Down In Old MeXice
when I was living in box car and
b1ssing 4 section, took . correspon-
!encc course in engineering and after
| that / called ycur letter The Core
spondence course in character. 1t did
HE lot OF good
Then I'm glad hat wrote the let
ter" she said softly. Il was afraid
aftrrward that I had spoken TOO
strongly"
II WAS ne best thing that ever hap.
pened 10 me-" he declared. Il don't
need the course any more. bat do
need the teacher, Ruth. May have
! herr"
For moment she hesitated. 1t was
in her mind 10 hold off, 10 punish him
ror those four years in which he had
given no sign. Then she realized that
he took his punishment very literally,
and that she. too deserved punish
ment for her scathing arrangement;
and Brooks. seeing her weakening. an
ticipated her answer with kiss.
IFS moi Oft that pupils marry