Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-08-12
ENGAGEMENT DAYS.
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER Ill.
But talk as she might Ruth still
remained uneonvinced. She loved Bri-
an Haekett; she would marry him and
be pOor-fOr a little while-if neces-
sary.
Not that Ruth was unfeeling, or
that she did not love her aunt, the
only mother she ever had known; but
she loved Brian better-so she thought.
At least, she loved him in a different
way. But all her coaxing, her wheed
ling could not change her aunt s deci-
sion.
'You must choose between us, was
her invariable reply.
If Mrs. ClaybOrne had stormed and
been cross and disagreeable. as peo-
pie were in the novels Ruth had read.
it would have been much easier, in a
way. But Aunt Laura was just as
kind and gentle as she always had
been, save when they were talking
of Brian-then she simply gave Ruth
her ultimatum. She was even gentle
and kind when Brian called. But it
was a cold, calm kindness which hold
him off so thOroly that he remarked
to Ruth:
"Mrs. Clayborne, your aunt, doesn't
like me. "
"Why do you say that! She doesn u
dislike you; she told me so.
What is it then2 Does she freeze
me out because | am poorl For, freeze
me she does"
'It is because of me, Brian. She
is fearful that will be unhappy when
1 get away from her,--this lovely
home"
cit IS lovely, but-Oh, a beautiful
home doesn't make people happy!
have known lots of people who had
lovely homes who fought lihe cats
and dogs"
BRIAN MAKES A PROMISE.
"You don't quite understand, Bri-
an" Ruth was anxious that her lover
should like Mrs. Clayborne, "Aunt
Laura has been very indulgent to me.
| can't remember her ever denying
me anything money could buy, and d"-
''Why should sheg Uncle says she
is as rich as mud. She is old and you
are young and guess she d have a
hard time getting anyone else to stick
as close to her and the place as you
have. You told me, yourself, that you
never had been away from here"
"No, but Brian, didn't have
penny. My father was poor. Aunt
Laura was his sister, and her money
came from her husband, not from our
side of the family So you see it was
awfully good of her to take me in
land treat me as she has.
"She has had value received,
Brian answered with all lovers con-
fidence in the virtues of the girl he
loves.
"Silly! I have given her nothing
but love. And oh, Brianl Nanny
wants to know if she can go north
with us. You know she has taken
care of me ever since l was ten years
old
"Why Ruth" Brian looked dis
tressed for moment, then bright
ened at a thought, Fshe won t per-
haps be able to come right away, but
after while we will send for her
that is, if your aunt can spare her"
"Why, Nanny is minel She be-
longs to mel" Ruth had imbibed all
the southerner's ideas of the colored
servant. "She calls me 'her baby
yet"
"You re my baby now" Brian
gathered her in his arms and kissed
her.
you think I can have her soon?"
Ruth was still thinking of Mammy's
when Mrs, Clayborne had told her
Ruth would not be able to take her,
when she left to marry poor man."
'Yes, very soon, my baby" Brian
had all kinds of faith in his quick
success. In way, he was mecurisl
He believed fully that, because he
was rather smart, perhaps clever in
some things, and attractive in APP
pearance, he was bound to get there
quickly, as he expressed it when talk
ing of his prospects That those very
things he valued so highly were of
little or no use in the fight for finan-
eial emoluments, he had yet to learn.
So, with the hopefulness of youth, he
promised Ruth that she should have
her old Nanny, as well as many other
things, very soon.
There was one trait Brian Haekett
possessed, of which Ruth knew moth
ing-because she had never seen him