CHAPTER XXIII. A PROPOSAL REJECTED.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 215, 13 August 1887, Page 8

CHAPTER XXIII. A PROPOSAL REJECTED.

Mr Gordon greeted the young man cordially, and Mis Gordon seemed inspired with more animation than she had displayed since their misfortune. It was pleasant to see tin old friend, while the thought that, perhaps, the fallen fortunes of the house might he improved thixnigh him incited her to make hei'eelf as agreeable as possible. Ruby, however, was quiet and reserved, although she drew a chair near the iire for their caller, for she could not be inhospitable, and yet in her heaH she wished ho had stayed away, for there was something in his manner that impressed her that he had como with a special purpose in view. Mr Carpenter, however, devoted himself almost exclusively to Mr and Mrs Gordon, chatting pleasantly and- sociably with them, although both could see that he watched with eager interest Ruby's white fingers, as they wove the needle in and oub upon her homely work, which she had not seen fib to lay aside upon the entrance of their visitor. She made a pretty, home-like picture, of which she was wholly unconscious, and the young man thought her more lovely than ever, with that placid look upon her brow, and a new sweetness illuminating her whole face. " Ruby has become a regular Dorca", Mr Carpenter,'' said Mr Gordon, with a laugh, as he noticed how closely he was observing his sister "How so?" ho queried. " Because she ' makech and mendeth the garments of the poor,' " replied Mr Gordon, in the same light tone, yet with a perceptible ring of bitterness. A colour like that of the wild rose sprang into Ruby's cheeks, but she looked up with : a smile and said, as she composedly drew j the stocking off her hand : " Oh, this is only a novel kind of fancy work, Mr Carpenter, and I imagine I am becoming quite an adept at it." The young man moved his chair to her side, glad of an excuse to go to her. "Let me pass judgment upon your work, Miss Ruby," he said, holding out his hand for the neatly mended sock that she was about to fold. She passed it to him without a sign of embarrassment, and, taking up_ another, went quietly on with her occupation. " I think Dorothea would be a more appropriate name for Ruby than Dorcas," observed Mr Gordon, as he turned a tender look upon hia sister's face. . /' Why ?" inquired his wife, "Do you know the significance of the name ?" he asked. " No."

" Ifc means 'the gifb of God,' and surely Ruby has been that fco us during the last few months," said her husband, in a reverent tone. Ruby looked up quickly, wibh a little tremulous smile, and there were tears in her blue eye 3 »3 they met her brother's fond glance. Mrs Gordon gave a slight start, and flushed as those tender words made her realise, for almost the first time, how little comfort and help she had been to her much tried husband during their reverses. " I suppose, Carpenter, you have heard that our little sister has become a schoolmarm with all else, and is teaching young ideas how to shoot," pursued Mr Gordon, to change the subject, as he noticed that Ruby was becoming embarrassed. " ISTo !" and Mr Carpenter's face plainly expressed both surprise and disapprobation. " Ib is true we never knew how wilful she could be until fortune tried to clip her wings ;" continued Mr Gordon, playfully, " but they wouldn't stay clipped, they only grew the faster and she has soared the higher." "Fie, Robert! He is only talking nonsense, Mr Carpenter," Ruby retorted, shaking her head in mock displeasure at her brother. " I have simply tried to be sensible and helpful since we lost our money, and Robert is trying to make out that I havo done something wonderful. 1 " There came an enorgotic ring at the door bell just then, and " a gentleman to. see- Mr Gordon on business ' was announced. Mr Gordon then took him into the diningroom, and soon after Mrs Gordon excused herself and went up to her room. Thus the cheerful circle was broken up, and Mr Carpenter and Ruby wet© left to entertain each other, greatly to. the discomfiture of the latter. ' l Are you not afraid that teaching will be too much for your sti engbh, Miss. Ruby ?" her companion asked, as ho drew his chair still nearer and assumed a confidential atti tude " Nob a bit ; I like ifc*" she answered, de cidedly, and continued to ply her needle vigorously. " It may bo a novel experience just for the present ; bub ib is sure to wear upon you." " I do not think so ; the exercise and employment are just what I need. lam growing stronger every day, both physically and mentally." " But it is so entirely different from the life to which you havo been accustomed. It must be very monotonous/ " No, indeed, it is far from that, and I find plenty to do to keep my ideas sharp enough for the bright boys and girls in my classes. Of course ifc is very different from my former mode of life,*' she continued, with a blight curl of her red lips, " and I am glad that it is so, Mr Carpenter. I have been a useless pieco of humanity long enough." " There are a great many things in this world thab add to and embellish ib without being; useless," he - i^lied, in a low, earnest tone. "True; but they were created ju.sb for that and nothing move," Ruby answered, seriously. "I do nob believe thab a human being has any right bo degenerate into a mere ornament— a j>et or plaything— or to live simply for selfish pleasure. I sometimes feel really glad thab I havo lost my fortune." " o lad that you have, lost your fortune. /" Edmund Carpenter repeated, in astonishment. In his estimation, as in Mrs Gordon's, such a loss was the worbb calamiby that could overtake anyone. " Yes ; though, of course, I deeply regret all the trouble it has entailed upon my brother. For ono thing ib has shown us who our true friends are, and ib has shown me, too, that a lifo devobed to fashion and gaiety alone is a very unworthy life. " You are bettor fitted for fashion and gaiety than you are for the drudgery of life, Ruby," said her companion, bending nearer her with a look on his face that made her feel very uncomfortable. "What do you call drudgery?" she asked, drawing back and taking up anobher sock - one of her brother's, in which there was a shocking hole, and through which three of her pink fingers protruded most temptingly. " This," cried blie young man, capturing both hand and sock, while his face flushed a deep crimson. " Ruby, it is a shame for you to be doingsueh miserable work. My little darling, I can save you from every such ill in life -from these close, cramped rooms, from plodding toil and monotonous teaching. I can give you every beautiful and pleasant thing on earth ; I can make your life as fair and sweet as it was before your misfortune came upon you. I love you, Ruby, and I came hero bo-night resolved bo ask you to give yourself to me ; bo ask you to promise to be my wife, and let me shield you through all your future. Do nob hide your face from me, my darling ; look up and tell me thab you will give me bho righb bo probecb you from every ill." But Ruby's head was benb until the dainby curls on her forehead almosb touched the homely work in her basket;. Her cheeks wero painfully flushed, and her bosom rose and fell wibh bhe sbarbled beatings of her heart. She had tried to steer clear of this avowal, but the very question that she had asked for thab purpose had brought it upon her. Her hand pbill lay imprisoned in that of her would-be lover, and when she tried to release it he would nob let ib go. "Do nob repulse mo," he went on. "Have you nob seen during all bhe labb year how I have loved you ? I havo tried to tell you of ib many bimes, bub somehow you have always evaded me. Bub the time has come when I must know my fate ; I can bear the suspense no longer. Tell me, dearest, thab I may claim you ; I shall be proud to own you as my wife before all those who have burned bhe cold shoulder upon you, since your brother's trouble ; proud bo set you above bhem, and make thorn ashamed of bheir fickleness and false pride." He foi'gob, perhaps, jusb bhen how lie, boo, had been guilty of fickleness and false pride ; how when he had firsb heard of her loss he had said to himself : " Thab onds all that bright dream ; I can never marry a poor girl ; bhe .voman I wed muab bring wibh her a golden guerdon as well as personal cliarms to help grace my home." Bub Ruby Gordon had baken a deeper hold upon his heart bhan he had imagined it possible for anyone bo do, and though he absented himself for a while, hetfound that life was very dull and tame without her bright presence ; thab she was more bo him witYiout a penny bhan any obher woman could be wibh a fortune equal to his own. Then, boo, as we have already mentioned, his antagonism was aroused by the fear that Walter would now try to win her. Bub somehow there was a false ring in those last words of his that grated upon Ruby's sensitive nabure and helped her bo recover her self-possession, of which his sudden avowal had deprived her. She sab erecb and resolubely withdrew her hand. "Mr Carpenter," she said, "I am more sorry than I can tell you bhat you came here with tlm purpose to-night, for I cannot respond as you desire." '

" Do nob say that, Ruby," he pleaded, turning pale. Edmund Carpenter was a man who could ill brook any opposition where he had once, set his heart, and the ring of decision in Ruby's tone had arou&ed all his will, and he said to himself that nothing should now stand in the way of his winning her. " I must tell you nothing but the truth," she went on, more firmly than before. "You have been a pleasant friend, you have shown me many kind attentions, you have sympathised with us in our trouble, and I appreciate it all ; but " " But I am not worthy of your love - you will not tell me that, Ruby ?" he cried earnestly. " No, I could not tell you that, I should be very presuming to do so ; bub I must state the fact that I do not love you, and so I cannot become your wife." " But, Ruby, lam rich, I am very rich, and your life shall never know a shadow ; everything that heart can wish shall be yours. " " You say that my life should never know a shadow," Ruby repeated, a gentle gravity settling over her face. "Mr Carpenter, it would be shadowed by a great wrong at the very outset, if I should give myself to you, simply because you could gratify every selfish desire of my heart. Believe me, it cannot be. I have laid out my course for the future; at least for the coming year. " j | "But I will wait, if your lieart is set upon this wild idea of teaching for a year ; | only promise me that you will marry me at the end of that time," he interrupted, eagerly. "I cannot." I His blood began to boil at this persistent opposition. But he strove to conceal it, though he exclaimed, eagerly : " Ruby, I have set niy heart upon this, and I cannot give you up. I have overlooked your reduced circumstances. I j havo waived your loss of fortune. I oiFer you all that I am and have, and am willing to take you empty-handed.' Ho had made a grave mistake, and he saw it instantly, as that golden-crowned head before him was lifted with a haughty gesture. " You are certainly very kind," the young girl responded, with quiet sarcasm, though her eyes shone with a brilliant light and her lip cur Jed with the contempt she could but feel for him at thus reminding her of her poverty. He winced at her tone, and coloured crimson. " I did not mean to wound you," he apologised ; " but -but you know what the world says when a rich man marries a poor girl." l " What does it say ?" E.uby asked, in a tone that should have warned him to be careful how he answered. " That such a marriage is a mesalliance." Ruby Gordon arose and stood before him, cold and haughty. " You will be spared that fate, then, Mr Carpenter, for I shall never marry you," she said, scornfully. "If I had loved you, I would not become your wife, after having given expression to such sentiments. You have shown me that wealth and position are more to you than anything el«e in the world that you feel you would be conferring a lasting obligation upon me by condescending to make me your wife after I had lost my own fortune. But," and she drew herself up with an air of conscious dignity, " I know that I am more worthy— that I am better fitted — to be the wife of a good man to-day than I was three months ago. I am not egotistical in saying it either, for adversity has shown me how shallow and selfish my former mode of living was — it has taught me how to be useful, and shown mo how much nobler a woman can be when she has some object outside of self to live for and is willing to help bear the burden of others. " Edmund Carpenter regarded the beautiful girl wonderingly. She had never shown such depths as these before, and she had never seemed one half so lovely as she was now, animated by the noblest impulses of her nature. He had not thought of such a thins; as defeat. He had believed that Ruby would accept him without a demur, and be only too eagar to lift herself out of her present poverty and obscurity, to reign in the brilliant position he could give her. The words that Walter had said to him on the night when he had threatened him, and warned him not to interfere with his plans, now came to him with startling force. " If you can win Miss Gordon's heart," he had said, "she will doubtless marry you ; if you cannot, she will never be so untrue to herself as to take such a false step." How accurately Walter had read her character. And now Edmund's jealous wrath flamed up as he thought, perhaps, ho had already won tho girl he aspired to win. ( To be Continued. )