AVE you had a pleasant evening, John?" asked Ruth, after sitting for a minute or two in silence before the dying embers of the kitchen fire.
"Why, yes, dear, I believe so; but Dick put so many new ideas into my head that I didn't know how the time passed," replied John, wondering how he should speak of his new plans to Ruth.
"What sort of ideas, John?"
"He's been talking of Australia, and saying there's no place like it for getting on in the world, and, of course, he's likely to know; and, Ruthie, dear, he said if I would go back with him, he'd put me in the way of making money, and getting a home ready for you in no time."
Ruth took her hand out of John's, and stared fixedly into the fire.
"Can't you say something, Ruth?" asked John, after waiting several minutes. Ruth breathed hard.
"What do you say, John? Do you want to go?"
"I don't want to leave you, darling, but if you'd promise to come out to me, I think it would be a good thing for both of us. I could get on so much better, and we could marry so much quicker than if I plodded on at the rate I'm going now."
"Then," said Ruth, looking up with a brave smile upon her white face, "you must go, John, and when you send for me I'll come out to you."