Evening star., 1924-04-15
Continued from Yesterdays Starr

"It were idle" said Ruth at last
| not that she quite believed it, but that
it was all-important to her that Rich
ard should not be imperiled. MT.
| Wilding will prefer the bargain he
| has made"
NO doubt" growled Blake, but he
| shall be forced to unmake it," He
| adva anced and bowed low before her.
| Madam" said he, will you grant me
leave to champion your cause "a and d re re-
from your path?'
Diana's eyes narrowed; her cheeks
| paled, partly from fear for Blake,
| partly from vexation at the prompt
ness of an offer that afforded fresh
and SO eloquent proof of the trend OF
Ruth SMILED at him in a very
friendly manner, but gently shook her
Il thank you, sir" said she. But it
were more than / could permit This
has become a family affair"
There was in her tone something
Sir Rowland his dismissal. He was
not at best a man of keen sensloin-
ties; yet even so, he could not ms. ms
take the request to withdraw that
He took his leave. registering, how,
ever, in his heart vow that ne wouio
have his way with Wilding. Thus
must he-through her gratitude-ass
Surediy- come 10 nave hio ""'
Diana rose and turned to her
mother. Come" she said, we IL
speed Sir Rowland. Ruth and Rich :
ard would perhaps prefer to remain
alone"
Ruth thanked her with her eyes
Richard. standing beside his sister
with bent head and moody gaze, dld
not appear to have heard InuS ne
remained until he and his half-s,ster
himself wearily into the seat BESIDE
Ter. and took her hand:
Ruth" he faltered, Ruth"
She stroked his hand, her honest
Intelligent eyes bent upon MN I'm. IN its a
for him she forgot how much she
needed pity.
him, her voice low and croonlng-as
that of a mother to her BABE; is
have married some day, and. after All:
il may well be that Mr.. Wilding Will
make me as good a husband as an
other. / de believe" she added, ner
only intent to comfort Rlchara, tna'
he loves me: and If he loves me-
surely he will prove kind
He flung himself back with an ex-
clamation of angry pain. he was
white to the lips, his eyes biood, %,
be~rll not endure itr' he cried
hoarsely.
Richard, dear" she began. re-
capturing the hand he had snatched
from hers in his gust OF emotion;
He rose abruptly, interrupting her
''I'll go to Wflding now, he cried,
| his voice resolute. He shall cancel
! this bargain he had no right to make
| He shall take up his quarrel with m e
! where 1t stood before you went to
mo, no, Richard. you must not"
! she urged him. frightened, rising too
and clinging to his arm.
| II WILL" he answered AT the
worst he can but kill me. But at
| least you shall not be sacrificed"
"Sit here, Richard she bade him
There is something you have not
considered. If you die, if Mr.. Wildins
| kills you" she paused.
| He looked at her and, at the repe-
| tition of the fate that would prob
ably await him if he persevered in
the course he threatened, his purely
emotional courage began to fail him
| his face to take the room of the
| resolution that had been stamped
upon it but a moment since.
He swallowed hard. What then =
| he asked, his voice harsh, and, obey
| ing her command and the pressure or
his hand, resumed his seat beside her
| She spoke now at length and very
gravely, dwelling upon the circum-
stance that he was the head Of the
! family, the last Westmacott of his
| line, pointing out to him the impor-
tance Of his existence, the insignifi-
| canoe of her own. She was but a
| girl, thing of small account where
| the perpetuation of a family was al
issue. After all. she must marry
somebody some day, she repeated, and
| perhaps she had been foolish in at
| taching too much importance to the
| tales she had heard of Mr.. Wilding
| Probably he was no worse than other
men. and after all he was a gentle
! man of wealth and position, such q
man as half the women in Somerset
might be proud to own for husband
Her arguments and his weakness
| his returning cowardice, which made
| him lend an ear to those. same argu-
| ments-prevailed with him; at least
| they convinced him that he was faI
| too important a person to risk his
| life in this quarrel upon which he
had so rashly entered. He did not
lsay that he waS convinced; but ht