Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-12-14
RUTH SPENDS UNHAPPY HOURS
CHAPTER CX.

CHAPTER CX.
Mollie King going to France as a
nursel Slowly the fact that Brian must
be going so that he might be near her
impressed itself upon Ruth S mind. II
he cared for Mollie like that, what use
was it for her to try to fight it, or to
argue with him because of her own
need2
Hc had said ''Mollie is going-too. y
That last ominous word chilled her;
made her catch her breath, and killed
her speech. What use9
The dinner was eaten almost in sill
enee. There was but one thing to talk
about; and that neither spoke of again
After dinner Brian took a magazine
and Ruth some mending into the Hving
room. He stretched himself at full
length, sprawling comfortably in huge
reading chair Ruth had given him. Her
lip curled as she looked. He would leave
her because she worked, earned money,
yet to the last he would use the com,
forts she provided. How like him.
Yet there was little bitterness in her
thought, despite the curling lip. Brian
was SO like an .overgrown boy instead
of man. A big, spoiled boy. 1t was
always SO she thought of him, after he
had hurt her. But that Mollie was
going too; could it be that while she
had been so busy, he and Mollie had
been planning to do this thingg
Suddenly she doubted Brian's reason
for going-rather planning to go. 1t
was not patriotism, not desire to
fight for cause which he thought just
and right ;but desire to be with Mollie
King--to be cut off from all convention
with this girl whom he had known so
long and whose friends had expected
he would marry.
What should she do9
What COULD she do9
As she sat darning a sock of Brian s
"a silk one she had given him--she
wondered eagerly if she offered to give
up her work and remain home, il it
would stop him. Then she glanced
around the dainty, almost luxurious
room, until finally her eyes rested on
the sprawling figure in the chair.
There would be no hint of luxury if
they depended upon what he earned, she
knew. Hadn't she tried 1t when they
were first married? Brian was smoking
a cigar. She knew by the aroma that
it was an expensive one. He had smok-
ed cheap cigarettes then. She heard
Rachel moving about the kitchen, clear
ing away the dinner things and attend
ing to the breakfast for the next morn
ing. Brian loved her delicious coffee
her waffles and Johnny cake, hot, and
cut into squares. He dotted upon her
fried chicken and corn fritters. He
never failed to say that she made the
best soups that he had ever tasted,
He would have to give up all these
things and eat what she cooked, drink
coffee which he used to liken to ditch
water. Not was not to be consider
ed. 1t he didn't love her enough to be
true when he, through her efforts, was
made so comfortable, he would not love
her when deprived of all these things.
That men do not love because of ex.
traneous things, Ruth had yet to learn
That it is the appeal of the woman her
self that first draws them, and then
holds them.
Brian finished his story. He yawned
then:
al believe I'll turn in early" he
said, 81 have lot to do tomorrow and
shall have to be down town early"
Ordinarily Ruth would have asked
him what it was that he had to do. But
she said nothing. He arose, went to
the door and called to Rachel:
"lIave breakfast promptly in the
morning, Rachel. shall be hurried
/ guess you better have it fifteen min
utes earlier.'
ever Well, massa Hackett. -
"She's a brieki" Brian said when
he turned to Ruth, "she never grum-
bles. F"
'0f course She doesn IT," Again
Brian's absolute responsibility flash
ed across Ruth mind, his insoucianec
under all circumstances Also his apprc,
priation and praise of the very things
he blamed her for providing.
Was anyone ever so eomplex2
She wanted to talk to him about his
plans, but more than even that, did
she want In think. She felt all at sea
Her thought refused to eoalesee.
But when he left her to retire, the
sock dropped from her fingers and lay
unnotiecd in her lap. Over and over
she tabulated the reasons Brian had
given her for leaving, only to come back
to Mollie King as the only one in which
she could honestly believe.
Tomorrow Distrust, Unbelief, and Jeal
ayov~