CHAPTER XXX

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 219, 10 September 1887, Page 8

CHAPTER XXX

ax k vvr^DKorri-'K. AiTLii .'v long- pause, during which Mr* Ooidon hail boon considering' Mio youngfill's last decisive sentence, she pursued, in an injured tone : " It is \ery selfish of you, Ruby, to wish to deprive me of all these pleasant things. 1 cannot go to a fashionable resent this year, as you know, and we aic settled -o comfortably in this delight lul spot, it w ill be a shame to have to lea\o." Ruby made no leply ; she had announced her decision, and meant to abide by it. But Mis Gordon would not give up vet. •' And then, too, think that you would wish to go away and leave me alone in m) sonow ! L suiol> thought >ou were more uousideiate than that, when you are all I ln\o left to love." And the artful widow bu> ied her f.io^ in her black-bordeied haudkeichief, with a s-ob. This touched Ruby, for she believed that her emotion was i>enuino ; she could not believe h'ji wholly dcpiaxed. " I do not v>\h bo lea\e >ou, Estelle.'"she S'ud. " T told you that I would go an) wjieie else with you.' Let ik« go to Redville," &he added, with animation. " I know that Mr and Mi Ruggles would be delighted to lmo us, and"' it. is beautitul theie among the mountain".." t% I n.'Nei could bury myself in that oai-of-the-w ay place. 1 should die of toneline^ a'l 1 <»'<»/,'' mm mured Mrs Goidon, hystciioaliy. and s;dl ontienched behind hei jiiO u-ning handkeirhicf. 11 Indeed \ou would not," Rub> hastened io « i\ "Theto ;tie plenty of \i>itois in th .t, roui'^n to make it li\ely, and besides. Ml Ruggle.s ha.- a line .span of horse? and mi easy caiiuge, and we could dn\c as v. c likcl, while the expense would be i.v les c than at almost any recent." '•And coold you be persuaded to plat-' 1 yoursclt under Mich 'obHiia'ion^ 1 uv a ir.Jiely nominal price." queiied MiCo, don, saie^stically, and with .u\ ai.cij. initiation, which betrayed that her uiitf had not been .so \ery o\crw helming. Ruby liu-hed at "having- her ow n words Imiledback at her in this fashion, but she lep'led, quietly : "Mi an I Mis Ruggles are dear fiiendT'j.'V have pu)\ed thenisehes fnn f, ''),</- an ! 1 (\v\ tiust them. I do not fe«.l cv.ii I s iould i>e I'leuning an obligation to go to th< in.' '• \\ 11, / can never go to Rechill'V M»> Col don assented, decided lj. •• When 1 w ill you go then, E-«telle ': •' Xo'i'h- ) I shall lcmain wheie I a-n.' tli N woip.iu n turned, in a .sullen x.vhj. "E er\thm<4 has been ananged foi fha sMV-meV, and it would not be honouiabk to change nov, ." "Do you consider that you made an ho" >uu>ble arrangemeat when you planned io i\ime!ipie, oi that Mr Ciipt-ntci had inl,enlions when he opened his lio !-e to u 1u 1 - '" Ruby questioned. las CHoulon Hushed" ciinwm at fii■ah'tt, but she made no leply, an>l Oil;. I'O'^lllllwl • "I do no', wisli to ap})ear unkind, and m-i^on-idciate, Estell(% but J teel that sou hr,, 1 been dealing Aery unfairly by me Voj s (l y (hit)ouha^.e onlj my hid i-J at \\\\ t, but >ou suiely do not believe t'utt it wo: 'ld 1)0 foi my interest to ruin my fuciur }iaop<inc-s v " •• Nonsense ! Nobody can be happy who i- \moi ; and, Ruby, you shall viz many t,')V pm per, Walter RichauKon ' ' Mis Oi.Joh l)u;.-t. out excitedly. "You -h \l\ jie\er di-giace youiscif nor me by comiiiit ruij; ,-uch a ra^h act." -"i am tiying' to be patient with you, E.-t lie, ' Ruljy lesponded, with an eilor. dl - li eo.iti ol :-t this outburst ; " but. i tind jt vuylmd to listen to Mich unjust and u"courreojs epithets. [ am pledged to A\ Tli Miaul -.on, and I .shall many him wh^n tht in op ji time comes. lam nearly tw eiry y..\i '- ot age, and old enough to judne foi mv-elf in Ko unjiortant a matter, and I sli^U n-i fiinolv -übmit to any attempt at cot. jj.iUion o," inteifeic'ice on the pait of aiivo^d. And now , once foi all, J tell you tli r, [ .sinl! not '.'main in this hou-e after this v,-im-:, While Ldo stay, I will not, !>' uiind Cai pouter ; if he calls by your mm' tion. I shall a\oid him : and horn ti s ho j i w ill avail myself of nothing wh i^ .'vb-jluielv necessary for health and coinfoil. I shall go to Redville the iirst of w: :i week, or as soon as I can hear fiom MiPv'K^lc-., with you if jou will go, without y% i it you persist in icmaining' heie. This i-, ■> v ultimatum ; and, as it i^ getting late, I \/ill not keep you up longei. ({ood-mnh:, Ev.ello. ' •' ( iood-night," le.sponded Mrs (Moidon, in an o ( ioiuied tone, a-; her young sl?te. t\ nod to leave the room ; but she cat up io another hour trying to plan someway by vhieh fchj could still achieve her own om ? - She was determined that Ruby i\\L, 'Id never many Waltei RicharJton, if she could prevent it. Siio was' awr.ic that Edmund Carpenter in' vided to call the next morning to in\:tc Pvti'jy and heisclf to visit a point of inteiest sjve.al mlies distant; but she knew well enough, too, that Ruby would lefu^e to go, whilo s!ie feared that she mighu betny -oui'ithing- of the spiiit of the pievifiis ni^l'.t to him ; so she persuaded her to go 3>i Lo.»ntodoa little shopping for her, in oic'-ii to gain an uninteirupted mte 1 . \ie.v With the obnoxious lover. When he came, she related whao had occji.ed the previous evening, and the )»ai.'s f,ico gi o\ ' daik and Rcrcc with an_rei. " Tii.'it boy \\ ill ciosrf my patli once too ott'j'i yet,"' he inuitered, threateningly. '•But 1 ' lie added, "J did not beiie\e that Ruby Ooidon woald really •stoo[) to jn3'. ly am one so far beneath her." " !{ub> lvi '-. some peculiar ideas regaidi-ig cav-3," Mis (Gordon lotumcd. "Money and pa -,'tion a] )D3ar to have very little value in he o-Linvition —a stainleps nameand a nobl? cha»aetoi aiemoie to her than unlimited posv3 r -ioas would be." Et'mund Carpenter started and flushed. " iSuppose f-he -.hould suddenly diseo\ei a flaw in lier idol— it it should be pio\ed agiinst him, I am miro that her dream of lu\c v. onlf' be over—or, ab lea^b, that .-lie v/ould lefut-e to marry him."' •' Do you suppose my prospects would be nn) beltei in that event ?" "Theie would .surely be quite a formidable (/b.st.'.'-le reimnod from your path,'" M:n(iou!on rej)lied, evasively. •' If <?>("'! h" r( mo red then /'" her rompanijn ier[)onded, with compro^ed lips ; •-',-, h'itlioi 1 succeed or not, that, iroudHi/iatud beggar shall be lemoved ho.n my path. ' " Jlow will you manage it ?"' " I do not kixow yet ; there must be some way t> accomplish it." "It \vill amount to nothing, lain afiaid, unlobs we can persuade Ruby to vo up

the notion of going to Redville," said Mrs (; onion, musingly. "I will nob go there, and I cannot remain here alone. I confess/ she added, with a laugh, "I am altogether too comfortably situatod to wish to make any change." "Coax her to stay," said Mr Carpenter. " Coax her !" repeated her companion, with an expressive shrug of her shapely shoulders. "Miss Gordon is not easily coaxed when there is a principle at stake, ah I have recently learned to my mortiricalion." •' I May the imalitl, then, and keep her ■with you. She surely would not leave jou it \ou wore ill; it would be a question of 'duty,' you know." #**#♦#* During the next day or two Edmund Cupenlei bet himself diligently to work to ascertain what Walter's plans were. He found what we already know : that he was only in tho city temporarily ; that ho vva 1 * engaged upon a contract at Chester, and would leave Philadelphia the iirsb of the coming week, and tin's explained why Ruby had also decided to leave on Monday tor Redville. lie did not. present himself once dminir tho interval at Forestvale, but he watched and )>layed the spy upon the lovers, and wait oil his opportunity to spring some tiap upon them that should ruin their happiness loi e\ei. The List night of Walter's stay he follow ed him a* ho went to pay his final visit to his betrothed. Reaching his estate he hitched his hoi so to a tico in a secluded spot outside the giounds, and then stolo softly up to the house, like a thief, hoping to overhear something that would help him in his scheme. Uo was not disappointed ; for, as he diew neai, he heard voices upon the verandah. Ho knew instinctively to whom the) b'li-'igcd, and ci coping softly ncaier upon the \eh ct turf he stationed himself behind conn' \ i lies which grew o\ or one end of the {hi/.'a, and wheic he could easily u\uiheai nil that parsed between Walter and Ruby. The night was sultry ; the sky wa-> hea\y with clouds, making it very dark, while low and hequent mubteiingV in the west told of an .ippio-iching thunderstorm. '■Estolle has not been well toda\," Ixub^ was saving, just in the tweadroppei settled himstlf into position. " I hope she i- not going to bo ill, for ju>t as soon a- I K-cei\i."a reply to my letter, I shall so to Va (h ilk-." " I '•lla\en't you heard from Mr Rugglevet".'' Walter asked. "No; 1 cannot understand it, fortheie ha- bien amj)le time." '• Then t >ou ha\e not been able to peiMrs (lordon to go with you.'' " No, she doc- not appear to want to, ti* Migh I am going to make one la-t attempt to induce her to accompany ire. 1 ' • 4 1 "wish you weie goinc: to-monow," \\\dter -aid,'gia\vly ; li 1 --hall feel lar-afer about >ou when I know you aie with oi: onod friend, though it will take you so f r hum me ; but 1 shall tiy to be patient until the time anivo- for in} \aeation, when 1 -!i ill come to you." The listener behind the vine- ground his tit th as he o\ erheard thi- plan, and meninlh ' owed that Walter at least should not -p nd Miy pus tion of that summer at Red- \ ah. *• lla\e you renewed your engagement wiili Mi 1 Samp -on, Ruby V" Walter a-ued, aftei qrite a pau^e. " Yes, \iiluallv ; he told me! could ha\e the position if L wished it, and I told him I thought 1 should. But, Walter, Ido not belike I can stay with Estelle aftc. what ha- happened " '• Y\ hat will you do, dear ?" "1 do not know; I ha\o been ihinkin<_ r \ ery set iously about it. I piesiime she will want in • and* v. ill feel veiy much discmbed if 1 go c!-e\\here ; but a-ide from other eon--ideuiti.ms L would far rather be entirely independent." '• You will find it hard to go amongst 1.-uigcs. " " 1 piesume it would bo a little hard at Hi —i : but I H'iff not stay with Estulle if she pri-i-tsin bunging me in contact w ith Mi Carpenter as oiten as she has done," Ruby mkl, w ith a decision that made that gentleman's oaib tingle. " Ruby, how much do you it would eo-t for \ou and me to live eomfort;ii)l\ in a little home of oiu own ?" WaltJi a-ked, in an eager tone. '• 1 do not know much about such things,'' the young girl answered, hiding hei ta<'e upon' his shoulder, with a sudden tiuill, "though, during the little while that we lived in — .street after Robert's failure, 1 managed the household expense-, and he was -uipiised to find how small they v/eie. Of coin so he attended to the lent, coal bill-, and such tilings, and I kept account ot the <rtoeeries, provisions, and so forth." " Let us leckon it a little, dear," Walter pi oceeded. "Rent for us would not pi cbably amount to more than three hundred dollars a year — that is unless we aie ambi tious for style. Call coal fifty. Now, how much for groceries and provisions ?" " I believe that my accounts u-ed to foot up abouL forty or foiby-tivc dollars a month —that included the servants' wages ; but, of course, there were four of us to toed " " And you think it would not co.-t two of u- neaily so much," said Waller, smiling. ''Oh, 'my darling, you understand that I long to make you my wife and shield you from all unpleasantness, such a? you ha\e been experiencing of late ; and yet I hesitate because of my limited mean-.. 1 should ne\cr forgive myself if misfortune .should overtake us and you should be a sufteter theicby. Could we live comfortably on a thousand a year, dear?" ''Yes, indeed, I should think so," Ruby answered. "I am to have a thousand dollars next year, and an interest — small, of course — in the business besides, and if — oh,ltuby, dare i ask you to trust yourself to me ? It will bo very different, I know, from the kind of life to' which you have been accustomed, lr.:t if you were quite sure ib would not bi* nnw ise, I believe wo could be very happy." "J know we could, Walter, and 1 am willing to try and help you mauag-e tho thousand to the best advantage, if you wish, ' Ruby answered, cheerfully and lesolulely. " Darling, yon aro very brave, and we will think ib over carefully before we decide. I should insist upon keening a little maid, for I could not bear the thought of these dear hands doing rough, hard work." The young man gathered them in hL>, and bending his head, touched them softly with his lips. " Hub the little moid must eat, and drink, and have some place to sleep, not to speak ot what she could waste," f-aicl Ruby, with an cyo for economy. " We must have her all the same," persisted her lover. " I should not dare to claim you otherwise. I hope lam not very selfish in proposing this ; but something scorns to tell mo that there is no other way to lelieve you of the persecutions to which j you have been subjected. But, hark ! heir that crash ! And ib is beginning to J rain. We are going to have a hca/\ y ,--ho\\er, and I must get back to the city forthwith," and the young man arose as he ipoko. "You cannot go in the rain, Walter," Ruby said, anxiously. "I am afraid 1 ought. If the shower

should be a long one, I might not get home' until very late, and I have to leave on tfreearly train to-morrow morning. " " I cannot let you go in the rain," Ruby persisted. "I am sure that Mrs Coxon can tret you a bed, and then you can go in town as early as you choose in the morning. Come, I will ask her, and if she is agreeable we will chat a little while longer in herroom," and the young girl gently drew him along the verandah towards tho housekeeper's sit-ting-room.