The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-06-13
CHAPTER xxIv.-contInued.

CHAPTER xxIV.-contInued.
He wanted to tell her that the girl
Dan married should be the kind OF
woman his mother was, but Ruggles
couldn't bring himself to say the
words. Now. as he sat near her. he
was growing so complex that his
brain was turning round. He heard
her murmur:
Il told you knew your act. Mr.
Ruggles. 1t isn't any use"
This brought him back to his posi-
ton and once more he leaned toward
her and, in different tone from the
one he had intended to use, muir
INJURED:
You don't know. You haven't any
idea. do ask you to let Dan go.
that's fact. I have got something
quite the same. but 1t is clear-marry
mel"
She gave a little exclamation. A
slight smile rippled over her. face like
the sunset across a pale pool at dawn.
Laugh" he said humbly; don't
keep in. / know | am old-fashioned as
the deuce, and me and Dan is quite
a contrast, but l mean just what
say, my dear"
She controlled her amusement, il it
was that. 1t almost made her cry
with mirth, and she couldn't help it.
Between laughing breaths she said to
him:
"Oh, is 1t all for Dams sake, Mr.
Ruggles? Is it?" And then, biting
her lips and looking at him out of
her beautiful eyes, she said: II know
it isl know it isl beg your par
don"
Il asked girl once when / was
poor-too poor. Now this is the sec
ond time in my life. | mean just what
l say. I'll make you kind husband
| am fifty five, hale as nut ! dare
say you have had many better Of
fers."
ooh. dear" she breathed; "oh. dear.
please-please stop!"
But don't expect you to marry me
Cor anything but my money"
Ruggles put his cigar down on the
edge of the table. He looked at his
chair meditatiyely. he took out his
silk handkerchief, polished up his
glasses, readjusted them. put them on
and then looked at her.
Now" he said. Il am going to trust
! you with something, and ! know you
will keep my secret for me. This
shows you littls< bit Of what think
about you. Dan Blair hasn't got red
4
him. There's false title to all that
land on the Bentley claim The whole
thing came UP when ! was home and
the original company, Of which | own
three-quarters of the stock, holds the
clear titles to the Blairtown mines. 1t
all belongs now to me, If choose to
present my documents Dan knows
nothing about this-not word.
The actress had never come up to
such dramatic point in any of her
plays. With her hands folded in her
lap she looked at him steadily, and
he could not understand the express
sion that crossed her face. He heard
her exclamation: "Oh, gracious!"
"I've brought the papers back with
me-" said the westerner. "and 1t is
between you and me how we act. II
Dan marries you / will be bound to
do what old Blair would have done
cut him off-let him feel his feet on
the ground, and the result of his own
folly"
He had taken his glasses OF while
he made this assertion. Now he put
them on again.
If you give him up I'll divide with
the boy and be rich enough still to
hand over to my wife all she wants
to spend"
She turned her face away from him
and leaned her head once more upon
her hands. He heard her softly muir
muring under her breath, with an alb
sent look on her face, accompanied
~ still more incomprehensible
smile.
That's how it stands he conclud-
ed.
She seemed to have forgotten him
entirely. and he caught his breath
when she turned about abruptly and
said:
My goodness. how Dan; will hate
being poor! He will have to sell all
his stickpins and his motor cars and
all the things he has given me. II
win be quite a little to start on. but
he will hate 1t, he is SO very smart
why. you don't mean to say
RuggIes gasped. $500 A<sg = =
And with a charmino emua o.. -.