Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1917-05-25

" ny GhdlA ShOh AAOAh
that am for your friend, Mr.. Swift.
Edmonston will accept the inevitable
and be better satisfied to take you
! without the fortune since he can't get
it through me. But, Clara, MIR. Swift,
knowing you to be Clara Kimball, will
give the plan away"
| Not at al. | shall let him into the
secret
Affairs of the heart are prone to take
| their own course. Mr.. Swift came and,
as Miss Kimball had arranged. devoted
himself assiduously to Miss Dudley.
| But the pleasant relations that should
| have existed in this quartet were mar
! red by an antagonism on the part of
the two men, which showed itself at
once and developed with amazing ra-
pidity. This the girls could not under
stand. Edmonston was devoted to
Clara, and Swift's attentions to Ruth
were very noticeable. Why then should
the men be antagonistic to each other?
1t was not long after Swift's arrival
that Edmonston, seeing Ruth alone In
the garden, went out and joined her.
Miss Kimball," he said, IL think
this visit, which has not resulted In
what it was intended for, should come
to an end"
| Ruth looked up at him surprised.
when | came here" he continued,
las soon as saw you said to myself
there Is the woman would wish for
my wife irrespective of her fortune.
! From the first you have shown that
you have no such feelings toward me.
There is no necessity for me to remain
longer. ! leave at once. l have the
honor to bid you goodby."
But" stammered Ruth, ''you have
been devoting yourself to my friend"
"a ruse de guerre. ! hoped to pique
you"
Ruth stood a picture of conflicting
emotions. What she had feared but
| what in her heart she had craved had
happened.
Lord Edmonston," she said, don't
go today. There Is something that
needs to be explained to you"
II should be pleased to listen to the
explanation"
mot now, tomorrow"
| Edmonston looked at her inquiringly,
then consented to remain till the next
day.
Ruth went at once into the house to
find Clara, intending to break to her
the news of this lamentable failure of
her plan. AS she passed the library
she saw Swift and Clara there in ear
nest conversation. She passed on to
her own room to wait till she could see
Clara alone. After what seemed to
Ruth from voices in the library below
an earnest conversation there was a
lowering of voices and presently 81
lence. In due time Clara's footstep
was heard on the stairs, and she en-
tered Ruths room. Ruth was still q
volcano of emotion, and Clara seemed
not less perturbed.
"Oh, Clara!'
"Oh, Ruth!'
What feared when you announced
this plan to me has happened"
"And what l have feared since has
happened"
whats thatP'
when Duncan Swift proposed to me
| supposed it was simply to unite our
fortunes"
"Well?"
He says it wasn't that at all. He
loves me. AS soon as he came here
and found Edmonston here he was
wild"
what did he do?"
why, he says that-oh, Ruth, l can't
say lido Jou love him."
go on"
He says he devoted himself to you
to piQue me-"
Ruth stared at her friend, but said
nothing.
Are you crushed at what tell your"
DO you love Swift?"'
"Yes; ] have accepted him. But
ter to Edmonston
Ruth went to her friend and en-
braced her.
Never mind Edmonston," she said.
IF he wants fortune he'll have to
find 1t in another. These two men
have been playing the same game"
What do you mean?" asked Clara.
NAOhSbOlt III OIdSI W plQu0 tue
heireSs, has been devoting himself to
the heiress' friend"
He loves your"
Probably he loves the fortune he
supposes l possess"
THAT remains to be SEEN"
(which Of us shall confess?' asked
Ruth.
Il will confess for BOTH" said Clara.
EdmonstOn was still pacing in the
garden when Clara found him there.
Lord Edmonston," she said, 81 am
not Miss Dudley, as you have sup
posed. am Miss Kimball."
Edmonstou looked astonished.
Before uniting any fortune with
your title | desired to win your love.
have not won your love nor have you
won mine. | have this morning ac-
cepted a lover from whom have
| been separated by misunderstanding.
AS for my friend Ruth Dudley, you may
settle your affairs with her direct"
Where is she now2"
I'm her room. If you desire to speak
with her go into the library. | will
| send her to you"
TFhok CoS,,o