The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-20
The EDening Story
At the Eleventh Hour.
(By ClariSsa Mackie.)


yellow tints. In the distance was a
glimpse of the sea in deep blue with
flecks of white where the wind touch
ed the waves to foam.
At the crossroads Ruth Fielding
paused to say goOd-by to Barry Lane.
In five minutes the stage would come
crawling up the hill and Barry, his
vacation ended would board it and
vanish from Ruth's sight.
Three months ago they had been
strangers. Now Barry'S ring cleaned
| on Ruth's slim, sun-tanned finger. In
the shadow of the hedge Barry bent
his tall head to exchange the parting
kiss.
Remember, dear" he said, that I
will come in the spring to claim my
wife! In the meantime, we shall see
hours distant, and besides, shall ex-
pect a letter every day!"
"Oh, Barry!'' she protested. Every
| day? What shall 1 find to tell you
about stupid little Seaport?'
Don't say anything against Sea-
port" he laughed Remember, 1 owe
this tiny village more than can repay.
First, it has given me back my health
and last and best of all. 1 found you
| here"
So they parted Barry waving his
hat from the stage until it vanished
over the brow of the hill Then Ruth
| turned and went slowly toward home.
Her eyes were SO heavy with I'M
shed tears that she did not see an ap-
preaching runabout until the horn
blared generously in her ears. She
rs that you, Ruth 2" asked a mans
surprised voice.
"Oh, DAM" she laughed shakily
brushing away the telltale tears How
you frightened mel
Dan Wales looked down at the girl
slim figure and noted with a frown
that she had been crying. He had
loved Ruth, always long before the
handsome city chap had cut him out.
1t Ruth was happy, Dan could resign
himself to that-but Ruth was cry
ing!
''Where is Barry Lane?" he asked
abruptly.
Ruths face grew scarlet and then
white. How readily Dan had con-
nected Barry with her tears!
He has gone home" said Ruth.
coldly land must be hurrying
along" With a hasry gesture of fare
we'll she slipped past the little motor
car and disappeared down the road
That evening, in the library of his
of his love for Ruth Fielding and
showed them her picture. Two hours
later he stepped out to the nearest
letter-box and mailed a letter to the
girl he had left behind in Seaport:
The morning after Barry's depar-
ture from Seaport the little postoffice
was crowded with its usual expectant
throng.
Eva White, behind the partition.
peered at the gossiping crowd, her lip
curling knowingly as she Identified
each one and mentally guessed the
hopes and fears that brought them
there so regularly three times day.
Eva White knew them all and their
pure human frailties. But there was
one face that she did not see in the
ho
window She did not see the face of
Ruth Fielding. 1t was not until the
crowd had departed with it's need of
joy or sorrow that Ruth came into the
postoffice. She looked sweet and
dewy in her pink Bingham and nodded
a greeting to Eva White before she
peered into her own letter-box.
1t was empty
Ruth grew pale. How confident
she had been that Barry would keep
his promise and write to her. Per
haps he had missed the outgoing mail.
Surely this first diSappO1ntmen t could
not be an omen of others to follow
She laughed at her fears and left
she office, but she could not forget
the contemptuous smile that lowered
about Eva's lips.
OF course Eva White had guessed
that Ruth was expecting a letter from
Barry, and she must have known that
the girl was disappointed. The
knowledge stung Ruth's pride, for Eva
White had made no secret of her in
fatuation for Barry, and his unswerv-
ing devotion to Ruth had embittered
the postoffice assistant.
Ruth went home and wrote her
promised letter to Barry Lane. How
she hated to post it, knowing that it
must come under Eva's scrutinizing
eye. She gave it to her father to
mail and resigned herself to waiting
until the evening mail should bring
her Barry's belated letter.
But day after day passed, the au-
fun a faI
Ruth had not received that promised
letter. Gossip was rife in the village;
people were saying that Barry Lane
had been like many another city shap
he had loved and ridden away.
At New Years Ruth returned Bar
rvs ring by registered mail. The
usual receipt card came back to her,
signed with Barry's firm hand and
the episode was ended.
Ruth was white and thin, but pref
tier than ever in a fragile way. Her /
parents, burning with resentment did |
all they could to make her happy.
Gradually Dan Wales renewed his I
woolng of Ruth, and by June their /
wedding day was set Dan knew that /
he did not possess Ruth's entire heart
but he was confident of winning it in |
the end.
Il was a beautiful day late in June
when Ruth Fielding stood in her bri-
DIAL attire before her simple dressing
table.
1t was a pale, thoughtful face that
confronted her in the mirror. Sud
denly she went to her bed and knelt,
praying that God would hip her for
get her faithless lover and Increase her
love for Dan, and that che might
make him a loving wife.
While she knelt the door opened
and Eva White, dressed to attend the
wedding, peered in and then entered
softly, locked the door and went and
dropped on her knees beside Ruth.
"Ohi Ruth, pray for me, too2" she
sobbed wildly. Forgive me if you
can. have wronged youi"
With their arms around each other,
Ruth heard Eva Whites confession.