CHAPTER XXIX.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 218, 3 September 1887, Page 8

CHAPTER XXIX.

BUBY'S DECISION! " WaMBR I ' exclaimed the- young, girl, starting 1 to her feet, a look of* consternation upon hor lovely face.' "It ia true, my darling. Edmund Carpenter is the owner of this beautiful place, which was my home foi many' years,, artd now yon can understand how Mrs Coxon happens to be an old friend. She was always kind to me, and I have been in the habit of visiting her occasionally since Edmund informed me that I had been adependent long enough." "And have you known that I was hereever since I first wrote you of our change ?" Ruby n&ked. " Yea, I knew by your description of the place, and when 1 found that you were unsuspicious and really believed the owner's nanio was Edmunds, f felt sure that you were beinnr deceivod for the purpose." "How blind I havo been," Ruby murmured, reflectively, as a number of things which might have warned her now Hashed upon her mind. " Why didn't you write me immediately?'' " I hoped to bo able to come to you every week, and I did not like to put my suspicions upon paper. This was why I was so determined to see you to-night." "1 will not remain here another day," Ruby cried, with crimson cheeks and flashing eyes, as she realised more fully the treachery of which she had been a victim. " I will not remain under obligation to that man one single hour longer than I am obliged to. It i? shameful, and if Estelle will not go away with me somewhere else, I will go to Redville and .spend my vacation with Mr and Mrs Ruggles." " I wish you would go to them, Ruby," Walter returned, thoughtfully. " I should feel much safer about you to know you aro there." •' Safer?" she repoxted, questioningly. "I told you I believed there was a plot afoot. lam confident that Edmund Carpenter is determined to make you marry him if he can accomplish it by any means fair or foul ; and £ am afraid that your brother's wife is trying to help him entangle you in sumo way." "They could never accomplish such a purpose," Ruby said, scornfully. "It does look very much as if Estelle was mixed up in it, and I know she wants me to marry him ; but x would never have believed that she could stoop so low, and I shall find it hard to forgive her for this. I shall go away immediately, and yet — " Ruby stopped, faltered, and looked wistfully up into hei lover's face. " Well, dear? Smely you may open all your heart to me !" he said, tenderly. " It will be so far from you, and I feel so alone,"' Ruby concluded sorrowfully. Walter smiled sadly. "That is true. But I could ."not see you very often if you remain in tho city," he said. "I shall be obliged to beawaya great deal this summer. Mr Conanc is still so driven that he says I must take charge of the contract at Chester, with a little oversight from him now and then ; so it will not be possible for me to be in the city only a3 I am forced to go back and forth on business." " Oh, if Robert could only have lived !" Ruby murmured, with quivering lips, and feeling very desolate and troubled. It was wretched to be so without protection. Walter bent and touched her forehead softly. *' Oh, if I could only take you now, and shield you from all these things ! It is dieadful to be so poor !" he said, in a tone of passionate regiet. Ruby looked up quickly, as if startled by a new thought. "You ought not to be poor," she said. " You ought to have had some of Mr Ralph Carpenter's property, and the more I think of it, the more sure I feel, as I once heard Mr Ruggles intimate, that a great wrong has been done you." "I have long felt so myself," Walter replied, with a clouded brow, for the feeling had been growing upon him for the la"t year ; " for, as I have already told you, Uncle Ralph said that he had made ample provision for me. " "Bo you suppose Edmund Carpenter would dare destroy his father's will ?" Ruby allied, in a low, awed tone. " I hope he would not be guilty of such a crime ; bub we shall probably never know anything more about it, for the only man who knew about it— Mr Simons— is dead, and if there has been any wrong done, it cannot be righted now/ Walter said, with a hioh. He felt more disturbed than he had ever been over his misfortune in this respect, since Ruby appeared to be in danger and to need his protection, which, in his present condition, ho was powerless to give her. "I did not know that Mr Simons was dead," the young girl said, growing pale. " I have been hoping that he would do something for you when he returned." "He died three months ago in Venice, and my last hope died also when I heard the fact. He had been ill for a long time, and wished to return, but his physician would not permit him to attempt the voyage. However," Walter added, striving to shake ofF his momentary gloom, "it is useless to mourn over the matter. I must make tho most of my opportunities, and do the best I can for myself, and thus shorten our waitin «\" " When shall you be obliged to go back to Chester ?' Ruby asked, after a thoughtful pause. By the first of next week. I have a good many orders to give for our building, and there aro some alterations to be made in the plans thatVill take a day or two." " Then I shall remain here until after you go, and you will see me often until then, will you nob ?" Ruby pleaded, clinging to him as if she felt a new dependence upon him. " Certainly, if I may," he answered eagerly. "Of course you may. 1 shall tell Estelle immediately of the relations existing between us, and give her to understand that I resent anything like what has occurred to-night, or any further plotting or interference'regarding my future," Ruby said, with an air of decision. " You have a strong, resolute will, my darling 1 , if you are plight and frail in body." "I am old enough to chooso for myself in matters relating to my vital interests." "Well dear, it is growing late, and I will not keep you longer," the young lover returned. " I will run out airain to-morrow evening, with your permission, and Ruby, since you deem it best to tell your sister of our engagement, may I bring you a visible seal to our compact ?" "If you wish," Ruby replied, blushing, yet feeling that she should be glad to have it. And then the young man bade hor a fond good-night, and wen*< away with a light heart, in spite of his repugnance to her remaining an inmate of Edmund Carpenter's home, and a recipionb of hia, bounty, for it amounted to that. Ruby went thoughtfully upstairs, after hia departure, but jusfc as she peached her

I own door, Mm. Gordon jwfc'her*'ffead oufc of i hers, and asked : ! "Jet/hat; you, Baby?" •• Yes, Estelle. Are yotfsiili np? ' "Yea, ifc has been so w^rftPthatf I have »ot felfc like going to bed, #n'fc whetie have ym been ? I thought yott» rm&&& long ** May I corae in, Esfcelle, i!fy6H*ar» not ready to go fco bed just yet?" i&rby as&fed, unheeding her question, and resoi-vihg; to : settle matters then and there. Something in the grave docisltfrijof tbe yoimg voice arrested Mrs Gordonstefclfentiort 1 , even startling her, and opertifig-'her door wider, she said : " Yes,, eoine in if you like. But yasftiid nott tfeil'me where you have beon." ""If Haye 1 been down in Mr CoAXfo's sitting-room/* Ruby stated, as she entered' tftiß? room and seated herself Ma-; rockotf, where »he could look her sister full in tKefacei. '• Pray,, wß'afe have you been doir%v there ?" "Ihud'a'ca-lter." "AS caller !' And in Mrs Coxon's room at this- time oi night ! Who ?" Mrs Gordon questioned',, growing a trifle pale, as she began ton*«spect the truth. " Waller." "Walter!" echoed the woman, her ire rising as she realised that she had been outwitted, and was about to be called to account for 1 her deception. "Walter who, pray ? ' "Estelle, you know; Walter. Richardson." " Indeed ! But I did not know that you were upon such familiar terms with him that you addressed 1 . Mm by his Christian name." " Why did you tveivfc him so, Estelle ?" demanded Ruby, ignoring her sister's sneering remark. " You knew where I was, and you should have called me." " I do not approve of las visiting here. " "And why?" " Because he is no fib associate for you." " Why ?" Ruby repeated. "Heis as poor as poverty — a nobody — and I do not wish your name to be coupled with his." " But it will be, Estelle, honceforth as long as I live, for— l ttavo promised to marry him !" " Good heavens ! Ruby. Gordon, arc you crazy ?" "Not at all. I have been engaged to him nearly ever sinee — Robert died. The sweet voice faltered a trifle here. "Ah! he took advantajye of your weakness, did he, and wrung a promise from you at such a time as that ?" " He had gained my respect and admiration — yes, and love — long* before that," Ruby said calmly. " Yon are a little fool, Riiby, and do not know what you are talking about," retorted her sister, angrily. "Isn't it enough that you are almost a beggar jourself, without lowering yomself by marrying another V " Don't you think you are using rather strong language to me, Sstclle?" Ruby asked, quietly^ though her eyes glittered with a dangerous light. "No one is a beggar who is ablo to tabe care of one's polf° Edmund Carpenter tried to imike Walter one by turning him out of the home that had been his for years, and which he believed he still had a right to share, even after the death of Mr Ralph Carpenter ; but by his own efforts he has risen to an honourable position, and one which promises to pay him well in the future. I do not consider that the obnoxious teim which you have used applies to me either, since I have- shown that I am able to provide for my own wants for nearly a year, consequently can do so in the future." "You have earned your own clothing and pin-money, I know ; but if you had been obliged to pay for your board and lodging besides, I imagine you would not; speak quite so independently. You know that Robert provided for you as long as he lived, and .since his death you have been my special care, and 1 shall consider you very ungrateful if you thwart all my plans for you," Mrs Gordon returned, with an injured air. •'What plans, Estelle?" "Why, you must know that I desire to j see you nicely settled in life — to have you j occupy a position becoming your birth and education." " In other words, your Heart is still set upon my marrying Mr Carpenter?" ' " He is very rich ; he would make you aa excellent husband. You would never want for anything. " "I should not want for anything but happiness, which I should never have. Estelle, you and I had bettor understand each other, once for all. I shall never marry Edmund Carpenter. I have told you so once before ; but if I knew I should have to live single all my life otherwise, and work for every morsel I ate, I would never be his wife. And now I want to tell you that I know you have not beon dealing fairly with me — that you have lent yourself to an ignoble scheme to entrap me in some way, so as to bring this about." " What do you mean ?"" interrupted Mrs Gordon, with an angry flush. " You need not feign ignorance, Estello, and I intended to tell you all that I knew, for I have made up my mind to settle this matter to-night, and for all time," replied Ruby, with a resolution that astonished her eister. "I know that you have deceived mo about coming here to spend the summer ; it is all a plot between you and Mr Carpenter to compromise me. Ido not know just how, or how far you would have carried your schemes, buc even the matter of obligation that I have unconsciously incurred is more than I can tamely submit to. I know Mr Edmund Carpenter owns this place, and what w,e pay is" nob a tithe in return for what we are receiving ; that the horses and carriages which we have been using so freely, instead of belonging to a ' gentleman who is anxious to have them properly exercised,' have been placed at our disposal by him to help on an unworthy cause. I have thought from the first that it was rather strange you were able to secure all these- luxuries upon such easy terms, but I novc-r suspected the truth until tonight." "Pray, who enlightened you to such a wonderful extent ?" demanded Mrs Gordon, wilh angry sarcasm. " My own common sense, as soon °s I knew thab we wore living in Mr Carpenter's house. Now, Estelle, 1 utterly refuse to remain here ; I will nofc be under such obligations to a man whom I despise " "I do not know what right you have to despise him," interrupted Mrs Gordon, spiritedly. " VVhat I have learned to-night would be sufficient of ilselt to mako me do that," Ruby returned composedly; "but there are other things. 1 believe he is a thoroughy unprincipled man ; if he had not been, he novor would have threatened a young girl, simply because she did not choose to marry him ; or a young man because he saw fit to bestow certain attentions upon me. More than all this, Estelle, if the truth were known, I believe he has been withholding property which rightly belongs to another." " You might find it rather difficult to prove that statement," said Mrs Gordon. "I suppose it cannot be proved," Ruby returned, with a sigh. " But that is neither here nor there ; you have heard ,what I said, and I want you to understand that I shall live up to it."

"Do your cflfc'ari'frf) tell mo ihA you wilt give up all 4h*e«B Comforf-s : aii<!-#o back tothe hot city ?"'<rf£ed'6cr siater angrily. " I mean tifosk l' shall not stay here ; I will go with ybtfr. Bet«lle, anywhere else' *hat you may dhoose'v bufc if you persist in remaining hceP^/- T- shall leave you by yourself." {To teObMmad.)