Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1913-08-16
'RUTH'S PRISONER
Comedy Of Errors That Proved
Not at All Humorous to
Miss Cynthia.

thia and waving their hands to Their
: daughter, Mr.. and Mrs. Foster drove
out of the yard. They were going
to Rochester, where Mr.. Foster ex-
tpccted to buy some fine cattle and
Mrs. Foster had some shopping to
ado. When their business was fin
ished they expected to spend the
night with their married daughter
and return home the next day.
'oWell," remarked Miss Cynthia, as
the buggy disappeared around bend
in the road, "they have quite a treat
before them, no mistake. They don't
get off very often, now, do they r
Ruth Foster shook her head.
Mother will think it the greatest
kind of a treat to have one whole
evening with Margaret; they haven't
had an evening together for nearly
a year"
"That's So" agreed Miss Cynthia,
"and now I'm glad l didn't mention
about that burglar before they went,
for your Ma would have been sure to
worry some. You see, there's been
a burglar over to Laconia, and he
broke a bank over there somewheres,
and the officers are after him. |
heard down to the postofice that he
was a-headed this way. They've got
a paper posted up there, that says he
is a tallish young man with a smooth
face and mejum complexion and blue
eyes" Ruth Foster laughed mer-
rily.
II him come, Miss Cynthia, |
do not believe he will bother you or
me-"
'HThe first of my boarders is COM
ing tonight, little early for summer
boarders, but it is that Mr.. Stanton
l told you about, from New York,
you know, so I'm all right. But you
poor child, you will be all alone, now
that Johns away and your Pa and
Ma are off to Rochester. You had
better come up and stay with me to-
night" But Ruth was not disturbed
in the least, and refusing Miss Gym
thia's kindly offer she went about her
work singing to herself. When it
was time she did the evening chores
and closed the house, then she sat on
the doorstep for nearly an hour en-
joying the sweet spring twilight and
listening to the singing of the frogs
in the willow brook.
On reaching home Miss Cynthia
took final peep into the room pre-
pared for the expected guest, and
then, when she had finished the last
bit of cooking, she set the table for
tea.
''The train gets in at about ten
minutes to seven, and Jason Hodges
will have him up here in about three
flips of a Ay's wing. and if he
should take it into his head to walk
wouldn't make him but a few min
utes later" unused the good lady as
she hustled about, and when, a few
minutes after seven, a tired-looking
young man with a dark beard, and
carrying a heavy travelling bag came
up the walk she hurried to the door
and held out her hand.
"Howdy-do, Mr.. Stanton" she
said, "you are welcome, but why in
the world didn't you get Jason
Hodges to drive you up? l told him
to be on the lookout for you on the
train tonight, when | got your letter
but come right in, your supper and
room are both ready"
After sitting on the doorstep Asr a
long time listening to the wood notes
and the frogs, Ruth Foster went into
the house, intending to return in a
minute or two. When she did she
was Mortified to find a young man
standing on the step-"a tallish
young man of meium complexion"-
she could see that, even in the twi-
light. When he saw her he took off
his hat and asked if Mr.. Foster was
at home. Ruth told him her father
was not at home, and then as soon as
she said so she was sorry.
"Can l come in and rest?' he
asked, when he found that she did
not ask him in. Ruth hesitated.
"Come in" she said at last; she felt
that il would never do to let this rob
Der see that she was afraid of him