Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1912-03-14

mutely thinking OF what he had hearu
this day. for after her letter came
accepting their invitation he had
taken pains to find out the things he
wanted to know. 1t had not been
difficult. AS her face and form were
public, on every postcard and in
every photographers shop, so the &C
| tress' reputation was the property of
the public.
AS Ruggles repeated these things to
himself, he watched her beside the
son of his old friend. They were talk
| ing-rather she was-and behind the
orchids and the ferns her voice was
sweet and enthralling. Ruggles tried
| to appreciate his bill of fare while the
two appreciated each other. 1t was
strange to Dan to have her so near
| and so approachable. His sights of
her off the stage had been so slight
and deeting. On the boards she had
seemed to be an unreal creation made
for the public alone. Her dress, cut
fearlessly low, displayed her lovely
young bosom-soft, bloomy white as
a shetland her head and ears were
as delicate as the petals Of white
rose Low in the nape of her neck,
her golden hair lay lightly, and from
it's soft masses fragrance came to him.
Ruggles could hear her say: Roach
came to the house and told my people
that [ had fortune in my voice.
was living with my uncle and my
step-aunt and working in the store.
And that same day your father sent
down a check for five hundred dollars.
He said it was for the little girl with
the sweet voice. and it gives ME lot
of pleasure to think that began my
Lessons on that money"
The son of old Dan Blair said earn
est,y: "I'm darned glad you did-I'm
darned glad you did"
Lefty Lane nodded. $50 am 1.
But" with some sharpness. II don't
see why you speak that way. I've
earned my way. made a fortune for
Roach all right
"You mean the man you marrled?'
goodness gracious, what
made you think that?" She threw
back her pretty head and laughed-a
laugh with the least possible merri-
ment in it. ooh, Heavens, marry old
Job Roach! So they say that, do
they? I never heard that. I hear a
lot, but I never heard that fairy tale"
She put her hands to her cheeks,
which had grown crimson. That's
not true!"
Dan swore at himself for his tact
less stupidity.
Ruggles had heard both sides. She
was adored by the poor, and, as far as
rumor knew, she spent thousands on
the London paupers, and the West
arner, who had never been given to
aveling in scandals and to whom
there was something wicked in speak
ing i'll Of woman, no matter whom
she might be, listened with embar-
rassment to tales he had been told
in answer to his other questions; and
turned with relief to the stories OF
Lefty Lanes charity, and to the
stories of her popularity and her sue
cess. They were more agreeable, but
they couldn't make him forget the
rest, and now as he looked at her
face across the bouquet of orchids and
ferns, it was with a sinking Of heart,
great pity for her, and still a de-
cided enmity. He disapproved of her
down to the ground. He didn't let
himself think how be felt, but it was
for the boy. Ruggles was not a man
of the world in any sense; he was
simple and Puritan in his judgments,
and his gentle nature and his big
heart kept him from pharisaical and
strenuous measures. He had been led
in what he was doing tonight by a
diplomacy and a common sense that
have thought out under the circum-
stances.
Tell Mr.. Ruggles," he heard Dan
say to her, "tell him-tell him!"
And she answered:
81 was telling Mr.. Blair that, as he
is so frightfully rich, I want him to
give me some money"
Ruggles gasped, but answered quiet
ly:
"Well, he's a great giver, Miss
Lane"
81 guess he is if he's like his IA
ther" she returned. II am trying to
get a lot, though, out of him, and
when you asked me to dine tonight L
said to myself, I'll accept, for it Will
be a good time to ask Mr.. Blair to
help me out in what I want to do. -
At Ruggles' face she smiled sweetly
and said graciously:
ooh, don't think I wouldn't have
come anyway But I'm awfully tired
these days, and going out to supper IS
just one thing too much to do! L
want Mr.. Blair she said, turning to
Ruggles as if she knew a word from
him would make the thing go through,
ito help me build rest home down
on the English coast, for girls who
get discouraged in their art. When
I think of the luck | have had and
how these things have been from the
beginning. and how money has just