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The Story of Wild Will Enderby

Chapter X. Ruth's Wooing

page 54

Chapter X. Ruth's Wooing.

The Senior Partner paused for a minute, and a bright smile—inborn of pleasant reminiscences—flickered over his countenance.

"Uncle Sol didn't have to tell me twice," he continued. "I went the same day. I travelled down to Lovely Vale—that was the Squire's place—hoping to see Ruth once more before I made tracks. Jest as I came in sight of the homestead, I saw a blue cotton gown, stooped down by the side of a cow, and I knew somehow that that was Ruth doing the milking business. And the cow stood there chewing the cud, and looking as happy as such a stupid animal could look, so that I almost felt as if I'd like to be the cow myself. So I went up and spoke.

"'Good evening, miss,' said I.

"She gave a little scream, and a start, and the blessed old cow jumped away, and kicked over the pail: and there sat Ruth, holding her sides and panting, while the bloom came and went most beautiful in her face.

"'What a fright you gave me, Mr. Pratt,' she cried.

"'Don't call me Mr. Pratt,' I said. 'Call me George, do now!'

page 55

"'Well, George, then,' she said, after a little. 'But what do you want here? And see, all the milk is spilt and father will be main and angry with both of us. Do go away now, do!'

"And she got up and shook her feathers—her dress, I mean, and preened herself like a pretty bird; and she tried to put on a stiff upper lip, but it warn't no use. She hadn't learnt the affected goings on of the city misses, and nature would have its way.

"So I said, 'Ruth, dear, I'm going away, and I mean to make money for your sake; and when I come back will you marry me? I know I ain't much to brag on, but I love you, Ruth, and all creation would be a black blank speck without you. So jest give me ono word—only one word, Ruth—ever so small a word—or I think I shall jest go right away and drown myself—I do really.'

"I had got her hand in mine, by this time, and she gave me ever so gentle a squeeze, as she stood trembing there, looking like a shy young fawn, with the long lashes hiding her downcast eyes. And once or twice she opened her rosebud lips to speak, but no words came; and I could see that her bosom was rising and falling as though there was a tempest somewhere thereabouts. So, to encourage her, I said;—

"'Dear Ruth, only one little word.'

"And with a great gasp she looked up, and her eyes met mine; and, though the whisper from her dear mouth was fainter than the sigh of the spring breeze in the pine forest, I knew that she loved me. And I can't say exactly how it happened, but the next minute my arm was around her waist, and her arms were about page 56my neck, and I was stooping down, and she was standing on tip-toe, and our lips came together in a long sweet kiss, that took my breath, clean away, and landed me on the other side of Jordan.

"Ruth seemed to feel good too. But the next moment she pushed me from her.

"'Go away, do!' she says. 'Whatever will folks think of me?'

"Darn all the folks on earth!' said I (and I felt as if I'd like to lick a few score or so, jest by way of counter-irritation). 'I'm going to see the Squire and arrange preliminaries. Sorry you spilt the milk, Ruth; but its done now, and there ain't no use in crying over it. So jest you give me back that kiss you borrowed, and I'll apostrophize the old man right away.

"When the Squire learnt what was on, he was furious, you bet! He went rampaging up and down, and a-foaming and cussing, till the air grew hot, and there was some proximate danger of the shingles busting out in a blaze. However, I've always observed that them noisy, roaring fellows blow off steam, and slow down soonest. It's your quiet, easy-going men, that keep the pressure up longest, and are the most dangerous to collide with.

"Squire Allan, he exhausted his boiler in pretty smart time. And then he comes up to me, shaking his fist in my face, and yells out:—

"'Dern you! How are you a-going to keep my gal? Tell me that—dern you?'

"'Well, Squire,' says I, 'I ain't able to build much of marble halls for Ruth jest now; and I've got too much respect for her to invite her to squat in a mud-page 57cabin; though my private judgment is, that the geology of our habitation wouldn't make very much difference. But I mean to push my own way in the world, and we're both young, and can wait a few years; and I'm on to make a man of myself such as you needn't be ashamed to call your son."

"Right!'" says the old boy. 'That's good! I like that. Make yourself, young man, and by the Etarnal, you shall have her.'

And he called in Miss Ruth; and I've a sort of remembrance that I enjoyed that evening more than any other particular part of my existence on this sublunary sphere. And the handsome way the Squire went off to sleep, and the high-toned manner in which he snored, was a credit to him as a man and a parent. I think he must have had some remarkably pleasant dreams; for I observed that his whole face beamed with ripe smiles, on several different occasions.

"Well, next day, I set out to seek my fortune. I was quite done with the dry-goods business, where I felt like a buffalo harnessed to a go-cart. So I went lumbering for a while; and I took a fit, and had a go in at the mines down to Nevada. But the luck was dead against me. Then I had a run to Victoria, and went in at Bendigo and Dunolly and Moliagul; but I didn't strike on a patch nowhere. However, the thoughts of Ruth kept me going. I heard from her regularly; and Uncle Sol, he wrote to me twice to come back, and he'd give me over the old store. But no, Sir, I shan't do that. I said I'd make myself, and I mean to—yes! When I heard of these new diggings, I was at Pleasant Creek; and I sold out and came down page 58straight. And now, pardner, the luck's turned, and I reckon I'm homeward bound, if the river don't annex our claim.

"And that lets me out," said the Senior Partner.