The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1912-05-10
CHAPTER XIV.
RuqqIes' Offer.

80 RugeIes' Offer.
{S&e He felt as he waited for her in that
room, for she had recov-
NNNW0 from her distaste for flowers, as
I ktNBlanced at the photographs of wom-
NAE,N3ike herself in costumes more or
SVsM frank, more or less vulgar, he
II VIII las though he wanted to knock
EHv4NNn the walls and let in a big view
n. Mthe west-of Montana-of the hills.
IN With such a setting he thought he
Ncculd better talk with the lady whom
he had come to see.
Ruggles held an unlighted cigar be-
tween his fingers and gooseflesh rose
all over him. His glasses bothered
him. He couldn't get them bright
enough, though he polished them half
a dozen times on his silk handker-
8 chief. His clothes felt too large He
# seemed to have shrunken. He moist
~ ened his lips, cleared his throat, tried
to remember what kind of fellow he
al had been at Dams age. At Dams age
s. he was selling a suspender patent on
i the road, supporting his mother and
Il his sisters-hard work and few temp
Mtations; he was too tired and too
f4poor.
Miss Lane kept him waiting ten
81 minutes, and they were hours to her
guest. He was afraid every minute
that Dan would come in. The thoughts
he had gathered together, the plan of
3 action. disarranged itself in his mind
every time he thought of the actress.
He couldn't forget his vision of her
II on the stage or at the Carlton where
she had sat opposite them and be-
Witched them both. When she came
into the sitting-room at length, he
started so violently that he knocked
over vase Of flowers, the water
trickling all over the table down on
to the floor.
She had dazzled him before the foot
~ lights. charmed him at dinner, and it
INWas singular to think that he knew
~ NY this dignifed, quiet creature
Manned in ballet clothes and in a
SyLS,Atner dress, whose frankness had
$ we him catch his breath. 1t was
Apy5third woman who stood before
ss2Ytggles now. He had to take har into
reconsideration. She had expected him,
All saw him by appointment She had
81 not climbed to her starry position
q without having acquired a knowledge
81 OF men, and it was the secret of her
81 success. She showed it in the dress
81 in which she received her visitor. She
II wore short walking skirt of heavy
q serge, a simple shirtwaist belted
around, a sailor hat on her beautiful
little head. She was unjeweled and
Imprinted, very pale and very sweet
1t if had not been for the marks of
fatigue under her eyes, she would not
have looked more than eighteen. On
her left hand a single diamond, clear
as water, caught the refracted light.
"How-de-do? Glad you are back
again."
II She gave him a big chair and sat
down before him smiling. Leaning
her elbows on her knees, she sank
her face upon her hands and looked
at him, not coquettishly in the least,
but as a child might have looked.
From her small feet to her golden
head she was utterly charming,
Ruggles made himself think of Dan.
Miss Lane spoke slowly, nodding
toward him, in her languid voice: Its
no use, Mr.. Ruggles, no USE"
Holding her face between her hands,
= her eyes gray as winters seas and as
/ Xofound, she looked at him intently;
\ Ven, in flash, she changed her po-
NAmp. and instantly transformed her
~ acter. He saw that she was
~ N, not an eighteen-year-old girl,
EJ woman, clever, poised, witty, I'M
landing, and that she might have
twenty years older than the boy.
m sorry you spoke so quick" he
knew" she interrupted, "just
~~hat you wanted to say from the
start. 81 couldn't help it, could 1?
Knew you would want to come and
see me about 1t. 1t isn't any use. l
Know just what you are going to say"
NO, ma'am," he returned, II don't
Delleve you do-bright as you are"
huggles gazed thoughtfully at the
cold end Of his unlighted cigar. 1t
was comfort to him to hold it and
10 look at it, although not for any
thlng in the world would he have
asked to light it.
Dams father and me were chums.
we went through pretty much to-
sether' and | know how he felt on
most points. He was a man Of few
words, but know he counted on me
% stand by the boy"