WHEN Ruth reached her home she found her father worrying a great deal because of his inability to remember past things. "Ruth," he said, "it's a shame that you have to work so hard to support Clara and me and I can't do anything to help, can't even remember who it was that stole my money." "Don't worry, daddy, I will soon have money enough to send you to Dr. Lilly—I have about an hour's work to do tonight, and you know that every cent I earn from this extra work goes into the fund to send you to the specialist."
He placed his arm about her and she pillowed her head on his breast. "Ruth," he said, "you are one of the best daughters that ever lived, and your daddy appreciates what you are trying to do for him, but don't build on it too much, for the doctors here say there is no hope for me."
"They don't know everything, and Dr. Lilly has made some wonderful cures. I can't help but believe that he can do something for you."
Aunt Clara announced dinner, and they went into the dining room. "I am glad you are having dinner early, Aunt Clara," said Ruth.
"Are you hungry, Ruth, or have you an engagement with that Mr. Golter?" her aunt asked.
"I am not very hungry and I haven't a date with anybody, but I have some work to do."
After the meal was over Ruth worked for an hour and a quarter. After her work was finished she went out alone for a walk. She had walked about half way to the business section when she was agreeably surprised to meet Harold.
"Well, when did you get back?" she asked.
"Just got in, and was coming out to call on you."
"I was just taking a walk. Will you walk with me, or shall we return to the house?"
"I would just as soon walk. I have been riding on the train so long that I need to stretch myself."
"How was the luck?" she inquired.
"The finest kind. I got the job, and now it's up to me to make good."
"I am sure you will do that," she said.
"Ruth, it helps a lot to have someone who has confidence in you. Especially when that someone is one in whom you are interested—someone whom you think of as a real friend."
"I am glad on your account that you landed this big job, and I am pleased that you will show Mr. Stover and McBryan that you can succeed without any of their help and in spite of them."
"Ruth, I received a shock when I got off the train tonight."
"Did you touch a live wire?"
"No, worse than that. I heard of your affidavit in the paper, and I couldn't believe it until I got the paper and read it."
"You shouldn't be shocked at a little thing like that."
"I was afraid that you would be subjected to adverse criticism and that Stover would make it unpleasant for you at the bank."
"He wasn't any too well pleased. He wanted to know why I did it. I told him I did it for fun; that I had no intention of injuring the Klan. He said that he did not care how much it hurt the Klan."
"Oh, he didn't! That shows a lack of principle at which I am not surprised."
"Mr. Stover has been good to me and was always a good friend of father's, but he has certainly done and said some things of which I cannot approve. These things have caused me to lose confidence in him to some extent, but, Harold, I can't help but believe that he thought that the only chance to secure the city job for you was to induce you to give up the Klan and that he really believes that it is a bad organization."
"I think you are mistaken. I am of the opinion that Stover is just what he showed himself to be in his attempt to bribe me to turn traitor to the Klan and in this statement he made to you—a crook."
"I don't think that. But—well, I don't know just how to explain it."
"What did he object to about the prank that you played on Rastus?"
"He said that he did not like to have one of the bank's employees the subject of comment and his friend Springer subjected to ridicule."
"He's very solicitous about Springer's feelings."
"I told him that I was not going to shed any tears over Springer; that if he had given an accurate account of the incident without prejudice he would not have been caused any embarrassment by my affidavit.'"
"Good for you! I hope he tells Springer what you said."
"Mr. Stover told me not to do it again and I promised that I wouldn't—but, say, it was lots of fun."
"Tell me about it."
She gave him a full account of the escapade and of the negro's declaration that he was feigning fright to please her. They both enjoyed a good laugh.
After a walk of half an hour or more they returned to the house and he requested her to play and sing. She went to the piano and ran her fingers lightly over the keys and then, turning to him, asked, "What do you prefer?"
"Oh, you know that I like the old Southern melodies. These present-day songs have so little to them."
She had a good soprano voice, and as she sang the songs of the Southland for him, he drifted out on the beautiful sea of finer sentiments. When she had finished singing he walked over to her and took one of her hands in his. "Ruth," he said, his voice vibrant with emotion, "I love you and if you can give me your love I will be the happiest man in the world."
"Harold," she replied, "we have been such good friends that I am afraid that we may destroy that relation in a desire to establish a more satisfactory one. I have heard that friendship is above love. Our friendship has been such a beautiful thing that I would not want to mar it by——"
"You don't believe that stuff even if such a noted philosopher as Plato did say it, do you Ruth? I know that it isn't true. ............