Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1912-03-05
His
.Conespo ndence J
Course

bronzed, bearded chap who stood smil'
Ing down into her upturned face
Somehow those eyes were familiarN
and yet
"Burt?" she gasped. "This can't
be your"
ut can't be anyone else" he insist
ed. MAY come int"
Blushing, she stood aside to let HIM
pass. In her surprise she had forgot
ten even to be hospitable. He made
his way into the parlor as though ~
were only yesterday that he had paid
his last call.
The room was little changed; as
little changed as Ruth herself-and a.,
primly precise. Even his photograph
was still in the little leather frame on
the mantel. He crossed the room and
regarded it admiringly, though there
was little to call for admiration In the
somewhat faded cabinet Of the heavy
iowled ponderous bulked man with =
placent smile lowering on q ratheE
weak mouth. Ruth stood beside HIM
"Can you wonder" she asked, with
a nervous little laugh; that did noe
know you for momentW
IT don't think you know me yet
was the unexpected reply. Lets sit
down and get acquainted"
He looked toward the old horsehatN
covered sofa, but she moved toward
rocker by stove. Beneath the beard
the lips parted in half smile and he
sank into nearby chair.
L., {rht he
answer to her question. I'm only herv
for week. Came on to see man
and he won't be back from Europe un.
til next Saturday"
IT take It then that you live In thS
west" Burton nodded.
"Southwest would be more nearly
correct" he said. Down In Arixons
and Old Mexico mostly"
"And this Is your first visit eass
since" She paused and colored.
my first since you opened your cor
respondence school Of character for
nation" he chuckled.
"My what?" she gaeped.
Maybe you forget Just how ] cams
to go west" he suggested. She shook
her head. She remembered only to-
well. Burton Brooks had given up Q
position because he did not like the
work and saw no chance for advance
ment. She had broken her engage
ment In bitter letter in which shS
had upbraided him for his lack of con
centration. She had been ready to for
give and forget the day after, but y
was too late. Burton had gone ON thu
midnight train. Whalenville was q
flag station and none knew his dealt
nation. That had been four years aga
Evidently he had not forgotten.
do you think it kind to spoil It ~
by referring to my unfortunate LED
teri" she asked patiently.
1T wasn't unfortunate he insisted
'You don't know what a lot Of good
that letter did me. That's what
came to tell you"
! From his pocketbook he drew out .
sheet of tracing cloth and held n
| toward her. "There 1t u.s." he said
"It's been my Bible these last four
years.
"I1l admit that when ] got it waa
sore. / was sore for an hour. Thea
! realized two things. You were more
than half true and the rest Of 1t was
| that you had worried yourself sic1
over me and most everyone else. You
always did have the trick Of wanting
to manage everyone you came In con-
tact with and sometimes the contracs
/ grew too large for you. You ,wers
worried because Jen Stevens rAA
away with that actor fellow-and ! 81
| ,Jen's share too.
$50 Just packed up and lit out ]
didn't blame you for not wanting II
/ marry me and ! didn't want to pu1
temptation in your way-or mine.
''Well, / got out to Chicago and sd
q Job with construction company
I Every morning read your letter anA
when 1t began to grow ragged on TN
edges copied it on tracing cloth.
II simply couldn't talk back to ny
boss, remembering what you said, and
SO got ahead. Down in Old Mexicd
| when I was living In box car an4
bossing section, took correspcr
dence course in engineering and aftsa
/ that called your letter the Corr
spondence course In character. It di4
me lot Of good"
"Then I'm glad that wrote the lee-
ter" she said softly. II was afraid
afterward that I had spoken too
strongly"
at was the best thing that ever hap
pened to me-" he declared. II don't
need the course any more, Ist do
! need the teacher, Ruth. May ! have
| her?"
For q moment she hesitated. II waa
in her mind to hold of, to punish him
for those four years In which he had
given no sign. Then she realized thaa
he took his punishment very literally
and that she. too, deserved punish-
ment for her scathing arraignmenta
and Brooks. seeing her weakening. an
| tcipated her answer with kiss.
tits not Oft that pupils MARRY
their teachers" he laughed. hut there
are exceptions to all rules"
|