The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1919-05-29

ludt was Ine emo OF Jnelr romance.
He did not even write>to her, but
when little later he went to Burton
town to work he was filed one mo-
ment with the fear that he might see
her by chance and then with regret
that he did not. But to have her see
! MIN sitting there in the cobbler's car
pet slippers was agOnizing. Then
came the light. She too had her shoes
repaired while she waited Then she
was bluffing, too. No doubt she too
had been spending her extravagant two
weeks vacation the same way that
ne had. That was only a possibility.
stlll it gave Nathaniel courage and he
peered out of the side of his mag
aZine
But Ruth, though she peered over
at him when he was not looking. re-
fused to permit her eyes to meet his.
This Nathaniel felt sure was because
she had felt offended because he new
er had written to her. Well, that was
but natural, especially if she had real
ly cared for him. SO when his shoes
We're repaired he put them on and
left the shop and Ruth, determined
to write to her that very evening ask
ing permission to come at once TO see
her.
1t might be even that she worked
as stenographer or something in his
plant" Perhaps she was daily under
the same roof, For there were thou
sands of employees there whom he
did not know.
He walked along convincing himself
that this was true until after walking
toward his lodging house for two or
three blocks he felt distinctly con-
scious that someone was following
few PAGES behind him. He glanced
over his shoulder, saw 1t was Ruth
and then turned abruptly about and
faced her.
Hello, Ruth" he said. and Ruth.
though somewhat surprised. said
Hello, Nathaniel" just as they had
greeted each other on the beach during
those wonderful two weeks Of vaca-
ton.
II followed you" said Ruth, "be-
cause | realized that you must live in
Burtontown now and at least wanted
ia know where. | did not think you
would turn and catch me-"
Now you know" said Nathaniel,
eager first of all to explain himself,
you know why didn't write to you.
l thought you had all sorts of money.
you know, and-well, | had put up a
bluff there at the shore. and | knew
a poor fellow like me couldn't marry
you because You see I thought you
had all sorts Of money"
Marry you" echoed Ruth with
funny little grimace. So you wanted
to marry me?"
wanted to-" argued Nathaniel. "you
know | did. Only of course when I
was thinking you had all sorts Of mon
ey l couldn't think of II. Really It
never occurred to me till I saw YOU
there getting your shoes heeled that
you could possibly be anything but
awfully rich. Pretty good joke all
around eh? I suppose you took me
ltI II young DNUGnNiNeF, 100.
would II make so much difTerence7"
faltered Ruth as they walked on
through the main street of Burtqntown
You see-well. father owns the ma
jority stock of the plant and-wen
I'm his only daughter, but he has told
me could marry Just whoever l
pleased SO long as loved him"
''He married for love. and he wants
me to, too. And truly love you, Nat.
dear. When ! saw you this morning
just left the car and told the chauffeur
10 90 back home and | trailed You 10
the shoe shop and got the strings just
10 be sure It was you. And | was
afraid you'd feel silly and self-con-
scious sitting there in the old slippers,
so ! made an excuse 70 sit there too
in the other slippers so you wouldn't
mind And II was so funny, Just
wanted to laugh out loud And you
wouldn't speak TO me, so then | got
little peeved Mt first, and then l
thought maybe II was because you
were so fused, so | decided wouldn't
speak to you, either-so as to spare
your embarrassment. Bat I followed
you az soon as ! could get my shoes
on"
And II was remarkable how readily
after that Nathaniel's rare ability was
discovered at the plant. His salary
took sudden leap upward, and moth
er and the girls down state never
guessed that Ruth had anything to do
with II.