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
a little while longer, won't your"
she coaxed with wistful emile.
You'll give me the satisfaction of
seeing her married from under my
own roof, with a proper trousseau.
and flock OF pretty bridesmaids.
and cake and all the rest OF II. A
girl can only have one v 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 pame.
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 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
q 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 guilty,
and quickly turned tho half.written
sheet over so as to hide its con-
tents.
Secrets, eh?" cried Ruth and play
fully tried TO wrest the note away so
az TO see to whom II 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
riage TO a certain extent depended
were showing a disconcertingly
balky tendency, and Fleetwood, who
had been over 10 Boston in regard
10 them, had written a rather gloomy
letter The day before, telling her that
II might be six or eight months be.
fore they should materiLlize.
He was expected back from his
trip that night. and in order to salve
his DISAPPOINTMENT and signalze his
home coming, she was arranging
little fete just for the two Of them.
Meanwhile, her mother having m
ished the note she was writing,
called mes 5enser BOY and dis
patched ii 10 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 a 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
il was from Ruth.
reaylng II open hastily, Blair read:
Fleetwood Dearest: You must not
let yourself he disappointed over, the
Boston matter. | would wait for you
until Doomsday, if nevcssgry. And,
besides. ii may be all for the best.
Last night Batson Kenlrick was
playing chess with mamma, and
overheard him say that he needed
a man for seine important work H.
Alaska. IF Blair were at liberty,
he would he just the man," he said,
anu the Job would be worth thou
sand dollars month 10 him. but
will not risk sending any new bride
groom on this affair. Inc chap who
takes il has got to have al. his in
terest in the work"
| rather think. though. that he is
going 10 approach you with an offer,
ard II he does, | would certainly &C
cept the commission. and agree to
remain single during the time you
arc engaged upon it. You could quit
him, of course, the moment the Bos-
ION people decide TO 20 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, i am waiting and