ef and shame。 Winfield tucked his handkerchief into her cold hands； not knowing what else to do。
〃Don't！〃 he said； as if he； too； had been hurt。 〃Ruth； dear； don't cry！〃
A new tenderness almost unmanned him； but he sat still with his hands clenched； feeling like a brute because of her tears。
The next few minutes seemed like an hour； then Ruth raised her head and tried to smile。 〃I expect you think I'm silly；〃 she said； hiding her tear stained face again。
〃No！〃 he cried； sharply； then； with a catch in his throat； he put his hand on her shoulder。
〃Don't！〃 she sobbed； turning away from him； 〃whatwhat they saidwas bad enough！〃
The last words ended in a rush of tears； and； sorely distressed； he began to walk back and forth。 Then a bright idea came to him。
〃I'll be back in a minute；〃 he said。
When he returned； he had a tin dipper； freshly filled with cold water。 〃Don't cry any more；〃 he pleaded； gently； 〃I'm going to bathe your face。〃
Ruth leaned back against the tree and he knelt beside her。 〃Oh； that feels so good；〃 she said； gratefully； as she felt his cool fingers upon her burning eyes。 In a little while she was calm again； though her breast still heaved with every fluttering breath。
〃You poor little woman；〃 he said； tenderly； 〃you're just as nervous as you can be。 Don't feel so about it。 just suppose it was somebody who wasn't！〃
〃Who wasn't what？〃 asked Ruth； innocently。
Winfield crimsoned to the roots of his hair and hurled the dipper into the distance。
〃Whatwhatthey said；〃 he stammered； sitting down awkwardly。 〃Oh； darn it！〃 He kicked savagely at a root； and added； in bitterest self accusation； 〃I'm a chump； I am！〃
〃No you're not；〃 returned Ruth； with sweet shyness； 〃you're nice。 Now we'll read some more of the paper。〃
He assumed a feverish interest in the market reports； but his thoughts were wandering。 Certainly； nothing could have been worse。 He felt as if a bud； which he had been long and eagerly watching； was suddenly torn open by a vandal hand。 When he first touched Ruth's eyes with his finger tips； he had trembled like a schoolboy； and he wondered if she knew it。
If she did； she made no sign。 Her cheeks were flushed； the lids of her downcast eyes were pink； and her voice had lost its crisp； incisive tones； but she read rapidly； without comment or pause； until the supply of news gave out。 Then she began on the advertisements； dreading the end of her task and vainly wishing for more papers； though in her heart there was something sweet； which； even to herself； she dared not name。
〃That'll do；〃 he said； abruptly； 〃I'm not interested in the 'midsummer glove clearing。' I meant to tell you something when I first cameI've got to go away。〃
Ruth's heart throbbed painfully； as if some cold hand held it fast。 〃Yes；〃 she said； politely； not recognising her own voice。
〃It's only for a weekI've got to go to the oculist and see about some other things。 I'll be back before long。〃
〃I shall miss you；〃 she said； conventionally。 Then she saw that he was going away to relieve her from the embarrassment of his presence； and blessed him accordingly。
〃When are you going？〃 she asked。
〃This afternoon。 I don't want to go； but it's just as well to have it over with。 Can I do anything for you in the city？〃
〃No； thank you。 My wants are few and； at present； well supplied。〃
〃Don't you want me to match something for you？ I thought women always had pieces of stuff that had to be matched immediately。〃
〃They made you edit the funny column； didn't they？〃 she asked； irrelevantly。
〃They did； Miss Thorne； and； moreover； I expect I'll have to do it again。〃
After a little； they were back on the old footing； yet everything was different； for there was an obtruding self consciousness on either side。 〃What time do you go？〃 she asked； with assumed indifference。
〃Three…fifteen； I think； and it's after one now。〃
He walked back to the house with her； and； for the second time that day； Hepsey came out to sweep the piazza。
〃Good bye； Miss Thorne；〃 he said。
〃Good bye； Mr。 Winfield。〃
That was all； but Ruth looked up with an unspoken question and his eyes met hers clearly； with no turning aside。 She knew he would come back very soon and she understood his answerthat he had the right。
As she entered the house； Hepsey said； pleasantly： 〃Has he gone away； Miss Thorne？〃
〃Yes；〃 she answered； without emotion。 She was about to say that she did not care for luncheon； then decided that she must seem to care。
Still； it was impossible to escape that keen…eyed observer。 〃You ain't eatin' much；〃 she suggested。
〃I'm not very hungry。〃
〃Be you sick； Miss Thorne？〃
〃Nonot exactly。 I've been out in the sun and my head aches；〃 she replied； clutching at the straw。
〃Do you want a wet rag？〃
Ruth laughed； remembering an earlier suggestion of Winfield's。 〃No； I don't want any wet rag； Hepsey； but I'll go up to my room for a little while； I think。 Please don't disturb me。〃
She locked her door； shutting out all the world from the nameless joy that surged in her heart。 The mirror disclosed flushed； feverish cheeks and dark eyes that shone like stars。 〃Ruth Thorne；〃 she said to herself； 〃I'm ashamed of you！ First you act like a fool and then like a girl of sixteen！〃
Then her senses became confused and the objects in the room circled around her unsteadily。 〃I'm tired；〃 she murmured。 Her head sank drowsily into the lavender scented pillow and she slept too soundly to take note of the three o'clock train leaving the station。 It was almost sunset when she was aroused by voices under her window。
〃That feller's gone home；〃 said Joe。
〃Do tell！〃 exclaimed Hepsey。 〃Did he pay his board？〃
〃Yep； every cent。 He's a…comin' back。〃
〃When？〃
〃D'know。 Don't she know？〃 The emphasis indicated Miss Thorne。
〃I guess not；〃 answered Hepsey。 〃They said good bye right in front of me； and there wa'n't nothin' said about it。〃
〃They ain't courtin'； then；〃 said Joe； after a few moments of painful thought； and Ruth； in her chamber above； laughed happily to herself。
〃Mebbe not；〃 rejoined Hepsey。 〃It ain't fer sech as me to say when there's courtin' and when there ain't； after havin' gone well nigh onto five year with a country loafer what ain't never said nothin'。〃 She stalked into the house； closed the door； and noisily bolted it。 Joe stood there for a moment； as one struck dumb； then gave a long； low whistle of astonishment and walked slowly down the hill。
X。 Love Letters
〃A week！〃 Ruth said to herself the next morning。 〃Seven long days！ No letter； because he mustn't write； no telegram； because there's no office within ten milesnothing to do but wait！〃
When she went down to breakfast； Hepsey did not seem to hear her cheery greeting； but was twisting her apron and walking about restlessly。 〃Miss Thorne；〃 she said； at length； 〃did you ever get a love letter？〃
〃Why； yes； of course；〃 laughed Ruth。 〃Every girl gets love letters。〃
Hepsey brightened visibly； then inquired； with great seriousness： 〃Can you read writin'； Miss Thorne？〃
〃That depends on the writing。〃
〃Yes'm； it does so。 I can read some writin'I can read Miss Hathaway's writin'； and some of the furrin letters she's had； but I got some this mornin' I can't make out； nohow。〃
〃Where did you find 'writing' this morning？ It's too early for the mail； isn't it？〃
〃Yes'm。 It was stuck under the kitchen winder。〃 Hepsey looked up at the ceiling in an effort to appear careless； and sighed。 Then she clutched violently at the front of her blue gingham dress； immediately repenting of her rashness。 Ruth was inwardly amused but asked no helpful questions。
Finally； Hepsey took the plunge。 〃Would you mind tryin' to make out some writin' I've got； Miss Thorne？〃
〃Of course notlet me see it。〃
Hepsey extracted a letter from the inmost recesses of her attire and stood expectantly； with her hands on her hips。
〃Why； it's a love letter！〃 Ruth exclaimed。
〃Yes'm。 When you get through readin' it to yourself； will you read it out loud？〃
The letter； which was written on ruled note paper； bore every evidence of care and thought。 〃Hepsey；〃 it began； and； on the line below； with a great flourish under it； 〃Respected Miss〃 stood； in large capitals。
〃Although it is now but a short interval；〃 Ruth read； 〃since my delighted eyes first rested on your beautiful form〃
〃Five year！〃 interjected Hepsey。
〃yet I dare to hope that you will receive graciously what I am about to say； as I am assured you will； if you reciprocate the sentiments which you have aroused in my bosom。
〃In this short time； dear Miss； brief though it is； yet it has proved amply sufficient for my heart to go out to you in a yearning love which I have never before felt for one of your sex。 Day by day and night by night your glorious image has followed me。〃
〃That's a lie；〃 interrupted Hepsey； 〃he knows I never chased him nowheres； not even when he took that red…headed Smith girl to the Sunday…school picnic over to the Ridge； a year ago come August。〃
〃Those dark tresses have entwined my soul in their silken meshes； those deep eyes； that have borrowed their colour from Heaven's cerulean blue； and those soft white hands； that have never been roughened by uncongenial toil； have been ever present in my dreams。〃
Ruth paused for a moment； overcome by her task； but Hepsey's face was radiant。 〃Hurry up； Miss Thorne；〃 she said； impatiently。
〃In short； Dear Miss； I consider you the most surpassingly lovely of your kind； and it is with pride swelling in my manly bosom that I dare to ask so peerless a jewel for her heart and hand。
〃My parentage； birth； and breeding are probably known to you； but should any points remain doubtful； I will be pleased to present references as to my character and standing in the community。
〃I await with impatience； Madam； your favourable answer to my plea。 Rest assured that if you should so honour me as to accept my proposal； I will endeavour to stand always between you and the hard； cruel world； as your faithful shield。 I will also endeavour constantly to give you a happiness as great as that which will immediately flood my bing upon receipt of your blushing acceptance。
〃I remain； Dear Miss； your devoted lover and humble se