The Detroit times., 1916-05-23
DETROIT TIMES

~
ture OF humility and surrender In
her manner as she extended a relent.
ing hand 10 Blair.
"You will let me have her for just
little while longer, won't you?"
she coaxed with a wistful emile.
You'll give me the satisfaction Of
seeing her married from under my
own roof, with a proper trousseau.
and a flock OF pretty bridesmaids,
and a cake and all the rest of 1t. A
girl can only have one " edding, you
know. Fleetwood"
"Of course, he WILL" Aunt Peace
insisted, beaming at them from
among her. pillows over her success
as an exponent of her rame.
So II was finally arranged. after a
discussion In which Mrs. Alden cum
ningly managed, to get Aunt Peace
to cast tie deciding vote that the
marriage should be deferred for six
months, or until the young mining
engineer had a chance to determine
what advantage might lie In certain
prospects" of which he told them.
One day as she was leaving the
house for a walk, Ruth stopped for
a moment to ask her mother a Ques-
ton Mrs. Alden was seated at her
desk. so absorbed in a note she was
writing that she was not conscious
OF the girls presence until Ruth
stood behind her.
Then she started almost suiltily,
and quickly turned tho halfwritten
sheet over so as to hide its con-
tents.
Secrets, eh?" cried Ruth and play
fully tried to wrest the note away so
as TO see TO whom 1t was addressed;
but her mother objected SO stoutly
that after moment she desisted
from her effort.
But there were other and seem
ingly more momentous thing TO
claim her attention just then. The
prospects" upon which their mar
riaee 10 a certain extent depended
were showing a disconcertingly
balky tendency, and Fleetwood, who
had been over 10 Bost On in regard
TO them, had written a rather gloomy
letter The day before. telling her that
it might be six or eight months be
fore they should materialize.
He was expected back from his
trip that night, and in order TO salve
his DISAPPOINTMENT and sIgnaliZe his
home coming. sne was arranging n
little fete Just for the two of them.
Meanwhile. her mother having m
ished the note she was writing.
called messenger BOY and dis
patched il to the address upon the
envelope.
Then she called up Batson Ken
drick on the telephone and assuring
herself that no one was within hear.
ins. held long and cryptic CONVEX
sation with him over the wire.
That evening, Fleetwood Blair, on
returning from Boston, found the
note she had written lying on the
table at his bachelor lodgings and
was readily deceived into believing
it was from Ruth
Fearing il open hastily. Blair read.
Fleetwood Dearest: You must not
let yourself lie disappointed over the
Boston matter. would wait for you
until Doomsday, if nevess9ry And,
besides. ii may be all for the best,
Last night Batson kcnlrick was
playing chess with mamma, and
overheard him say that he needed
IA man for some important work il.
Alaska. IF Blair wore at liberty,
he would be just the man." he said,
anu the Job would be worth a thou
sand dollars a month TO him. but
will not risk sending any new bride
groom on this affair. Inc chap who
takes il has got to have all his in
tereet in the work"
rather think. though. that he Is
going 10 approach you with an offer,
and If he does, would certainly ac-
cept the commission, and agree to
remain single during the time YOU
arc engaged upon ii. You could quit
him, of course, the moment the Bos-
,on people decide to go ahead, and
in the meantime. so long as we have
TO wait anyhow, you may as well be
drawing that salary.
am sending this TO your rooms
so that you may be prepared in case
he approaches you this evening. as
understand from mamma that he is
TO be at the house to finish their
game. Meantime. am waiting and