Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-13
tn. DEAD or NIGHT.
Chapter Xxx

IND O0AO OE ANA>vAAAs
Chapter Xxx.
At first Ruth felt . little badly at
refusing the invitations from the much
soueht-aftor Van Zyls and their friends
from the big estates near Markctown.
But after a while she realised that her
present work ws taking SO much OF her
time that she had little enough left over
10 give to social functions.
II can only spare two evenings a
week. not always that" she told Lang
lev once. They were watching the con-
crete work for new factory that was to
20 up, and Ruth had come out TO the
new town in her hired car. "The eveningse
I'm studying law ! end up by reading to
Father-you see get home early and he s
always awake. Sunday evenings / go to
bed early, so as TO be fresh for the new
week. That only leaves me two to play in,
and if | spend them running about with
that rich crowd. my old friends here will
say I'm snob and that I'm cutting
them
Langley pinned little.
.'Do you like the members of the Town
Club so much rs all that?
The girl looked at hum seriously.
"A few of them, she remarked. There
are some--Jane. and Robbie, and the
Perkins and Mrs Anderson, that like
the things We do. OF course most OF them
only care for dancing and cards and hift-
Langley, have You seen about the
plans for the water system? meant 90
ask YOU yesterday
Quite forgetting her talk about frivo-
lous things, she plunged into discussion
over the new water system. Ii was not
~ be led into the river at the point named,
She insisted, for that brought it above
certain village which depended on the
river for its drinking water.
at costs thousands more your way,
which of course is the, only safe way,
Langley agreed. "I'll get hold of a couple
of the men, tonight, Thompson and Reed
probably But you know how they're for
holding down costs. You can get more out
cf these politicians thsn ] can, or anyone
else IN this town."
oh. nor Ruth felt embarrassed at
the compliment She was sure she had
not done anything worth noting yet
why should anyone say she had a great
deal of influence with the political leaders!
So the winter days, passed, while she
worked hard from early morning until
dinner time. But no evening went. by
without visit to the sick room where
her father lay.
time now. Mrs. O'Niel with an eye to
growing expenses. discharged the maid
Ruth had hired and took over once more
hc entire work of the big house. And
though RuthS salary was considered
enormous for that period and for so small
4 town somehow it never did more than
barely cover expenses.
Duncan O'Nicl grew so much weak
or that light attendance was needed
The nurse slept then, ready 10 be calls d
If anything should 90 wrong, and Ruth
and her mother divided the night. The
girl insisted that she be allowed to do this,
though her health and her work suffered
because Of the extra strain.
Yet what it amounted 20 mostly was
sitting alone, reading by low light,
or simply being quiet, and watching
the little figure in the bed.
One February night she "came on
duty as she called it, at midnight.
She had gwen up her law studies and
slept early in the evenings, then at 3
she went back to bed and slept until
breakfast time, her mother relieving her.
She could not read that night. She
sat listening TO the strange little sounds
that any old house seems to make at
iIght crcaks and squeaklngs, noises IN
the wall a slight, distant rattle-the
whole effect a little eerie.
She thought back over the last three
ar four yearsZthe careless days at school,
With lessons that were easy to get and
y easure to learn. and with long hours
reading and talking 10 her father In
comparison. he seemed well and strong
IN those DAYS.
She thought Of the plans she and Myra
had. how she was TO go TO the city, and
take a business course, and learn to be
competent. as she expressed IT, She was
10 get a position, and send money home:
she was TO make real business career
for herself She remembered how ~Myrs
had gone, and how she had wasted her
time and her fathers money.
She remembered with a pang ID her
heart the old DAYS with Tim the parties
with their friends. the growing love, the
night he had first told her he cared for her.
She thought of the parting when he went
away to the city to make money for her,
and the tears ran down her cheeks as she
thought about 1t.
She remembered Myra's clever, cute
little tricks. and how she had felt when
,he knew Tim was lost TO her-because
,ll along she had had no chance to make
aHvthing Of herself
Then she began thinking Of the things
she had built up at home-the new life,
the chances she made for herself, untrain-
eel though she was She was gaining her |
career at home, better one than the city |
atforde1 But she had lost the dearest |
thing in life-and that was love.
Probably she would grow rich from |
her work In this new scheme, but what /
was the use? Her father was dying, and |
what did she want with lot of money? /
The figure stirred in bed
Ruth" Duncan O'Niels voice called |
gently.
Yes" The girl went to the bed and |
took the man hand. Her heart contracted |
suddenly. She almost knew what was TO /
onr-,n N n. IN the dead Of the night