The Washington herald., 1915-09-14
DAILY SHORT STORY

Wnere IS Barry Lane! ne asked aD'
ruptly.
Ruth: faca grew scarlet and then
white. How readily Dan had connected
Barry with her tearsi
He has gone home" said Ruth, cold
ly. "and must be hurrying along" With
a hasty gesture of farewell she slipped
past the little motor car and disappeared
down the road.
That evening, in the library of his
hadsome home, Barry Lane told his par
ents of his love for Ruth Fielding anc
showed them her picture. Two hours
later he stepped out to the nearest letter
box and mailed a letter to the girl ht
had left behind in Seaport.
The morning after Barry's departure
from Seaport the little postofiice was
crowded with IT'S usual expectant throng
Eva White. behind the partition. peer
ed at the gossiping crowd. her lip curl.
ing knowingly as she Identified each one
and mentally guessed the hopes and fears
that brought them there SO regularly
three times a day.
Eva White knew them all and theiI
pure human frailties. but there was one
face that she did not see IN the crowd
that pressed around the open window
She did not see the face of Ruth Field
ing 1t was not until the crowd had de
parted with its need of Joy or sorrow
that Ruth came into the postoffice. She
looked sweet and dewy in her pink ging-
ham and nodded greeting to Eva White
before she peered into her own letter
box.
1t was empty,
Rutb orau nale How confident she
had been that Barry would keep his
promise and write to her. Perhaps he
had missed the outgoing mail. Surely
this first disappointment could not be an
omen of others to follow!
She laughed at her fears and left the
office. but she could not forget the con-
temptuous smile that hoyered about
Eva's lips.
OF course Eva White had guessed that
Ruth was expecting q letter from Barry,
and she must have known that the girl
was disappointed. The knowledge stung
Ruth's pride, for Eva White had made nc
secret of her infatuation for Barry. and
his answering devotion to Ruth had
embittered the postoffice assistant.
Ruth went home and wrote her prom
ised letter to Barry Lane. How she hated
to post 1t. knowing that 1t must come un
der Eva's scrutinizing eye. She gave It
to her father to mail and resigned her
self to waiting until the evening mail
should bring her Barry's belated letter.
But day after day passed. the autumn
waned, the first snow fell, and Ruth had
not received that promised letter. Cos
sip was rife in the village; peoPIa were
saying that Barry Lane hsd been like
many another city chap-he ,ad loved
and ridden away.
At New Years Ruth returned Barry S
ring by registered mail. The usual re-
ceipt card came back to her. signed with
Barry's firm hand. and the episode was
ended.
Ruth was white and thin. but pretier
than ever in a fragile way. Her parents.
burning with resentment, did all they
could to make her happy
Gradually Dan Wales renewed his WOO
ing 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 1t in the end.
1t was a beautiful day late in June
when Ruth Fielding stood In her bridal
attire before ner simple dressing table.
1t was a paIa. thoughtful face that con-
fronted her in the mirror. Suddenly she
went to her bed and knelt praying that
God would help her forget her faithless
lover ard increase her love for Dan, AMI
that she might make him a loving wife.
While she knelt the door opened and
Eva White. dressed to attend the we'd
ding. peered in and then entered softly.
locked the door and went and dropped to
her knees beside Ruth.
"Oh. Ruth. pray for me. too" she
sobbed wildly Forgive me II you can
1 have wronged you!"
With their arms around each other.
Puth heard Eva Whites confession. ThS
package of suppressed letters-there were
eight Of them in Barry's bold writing
all unopened, besides the single letter
Ruth had sent to him.
And the letters. Ruth read them with
streaming eyes Barry had been faithful
His parents would welcome her with open
arms. Barry now believed Ruth to have
been the faithless one. She had returned
his ring and he had never received
letter from her. While they talked. Mrs
Fielding brought the smiling bridegroom
to see his bride-and In their presence
Eva White repeated her amazing confess
sion.
Fifteen minutes later. Dan Wales
white and grim looking. went down and
dismissed the wedding guests and the
astonished minister.
Indefinitely postponed" he told them
all. When he was alone he went to the
telephone and called Barry Lane on the
long distance wire.
In Seaport they still talk about that
June day. How the wedding was post
poned how Barry Lane and his parents
came racing down in an automobile. and
how Dan Wales went after the minister
again. and the odd change Of bridegrooms
at the eleventh hour.
They tell about the marriage in the
Fielding house, and add that Barry Lane
was the happy bridegroom. while Dan
White was best man and Eva White was
the brides attendant
In the end Dan married Eva White,
and out of the sin and pride and pain OF
that bitter year came quiet happiness