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MOOSEHEART MAGAZINE
Man Who Followed
The
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man's voice at Ruth Godwin's el• g y W ILL H. G R li t N F I ll bow.
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Ruth Hurried on Her Way Home
Ruth’s first impulse was to destroy the missive unread, but she laid it aside till lunch time, When she read:
“If you will not let me speak to you, I must take this method of making some sort of an explanation. Since good old Scanlon blabbed out the truth last Saturday night, I would be silly to try longer to conceal my feelings. I have followed you home every Saturday evening because I wanted to protect you. I should not have spoken to you if you had not lost your watch. Walking behind you I saw it drop from your arm into a puddle of soft mud. When I attempted to restore it you took fright. I can give you any references you might desire as to my character and reputation. I shall be in the store at closing time with the watch. If I may see you home, give me a nod and a smile.
“Your clumsy admirer, Billy.”
“You’re Billy Draper!” Gasped Ruth
It was late on Saturday evening and Ruth was on her way home from the shop where she was employed. She had taken a short cut through a dark side street, and now faced the consequences of her folly.
The man was tall, broad-shouldered, and wore b slouch hat. His voice was pleasant and courteous but Ruth had read of smooth-voiced highwaymen slid where was the masher or white-slaver tha1 spoke harshly to his intended victim? With s little gasp of fright, she quickened her pace. Tc ber increasing horror the man followed suit. Ot matching up with her, he raised his hat.
“I beg your pardon, Miss, but I should lik» to----”
Ruth shot a contemptuous glance at him, then me in the opposite direction, and walked on as if she had not heard him. He was good-looking, but she very righteously resolved that this would not save him if she could discover a policeman.
“Miss, will you stop until----” the man essayed
again, but she cut in, indignantly:
“Don’t you dare to address me again, sir! If you do not leave me immediately I shall have you arrested.”
“No, indeed,” he rejoined laughingly; “not when you learn my business.”
Ruth began to tremble with a violence which astounded her and on which her will had no effect. She felt herself about to sink to the ground, but she managed to put on a brave front.
“I’ll scream if you don’t leave me!” she flared. “1 don’t wish to learn your business, you scoundrel! I wish a policeman would come along!”
“You have but to wish,” he said, “and the policeman appears! Ho, Scanlon!” he called, raising his voice.
A policeman who had just turned the corner near which they had halted came quickly toward them.
“What’s the trouble?” he demanded.
“This young lady evidently takes me for a masher, Scanlon. Will you please speak a good word for me?”
Officer Scanlon burst into a hearty, infectious laugh.
“That’s a good one!” he cried. “Me speak a good word for you! It’s great to have the opportunity, I’ll be bound. Why, Miss,” turning to Ruth, “you have not a thing to fear from this young man. Sure, you ought to thank him for the good care he takes of you, for it’s every Saturday night that you work that I’ve seen him following you home and-------”
“That’s enough, Scanlon!” interrupted the object of the officer’s eulogy, but too late to prevent Ruth Godwin from taking fright and flight. _ She flew around the corner like one invisibly winged, and did not stop running until she brought up at home.
What a narrow escape she had had! The man was undoubtedly in league with the policeman, and the latter had blundered in his eagerness to further the viper’s nefarious schemes.
A.nd he had been following her every Saturday night, had he? Well, she would have her father escort her home hereafter, and if the handsome young scamp and his official ally croubled her again they would be very unpleasantly surprised at the reception they would receive.
Ruth sought her late bed that evening to dream of masked kidnapers and wild rides in careening limousines, and it was not until morning that she discovered the loss of her wrist watch. She smiled cynically when her father announced his intention of inserting an advertisement in the “Lost and Found” columns of the evening newspapers.
“It’s positively no use, dad,” she declared. “The gentlemanly scoundrel who accosted me last night had to take something to pay for his pains. He’s welcome to the watch, though, if he leaves me alone in the future.”
But that is precisely the thing “the gentlemanly scoundrel” neglected to do. Ruth was waiting at a street crossing that evening for a crush of traffic to disintegrate when a familiar voice sounded in her ear.
“I am coming to claim my reward, Miss Godwin,” it said. “I have your watch at home.”
Ruth turned in time to see his tall figure lose itself in the supper throngs that swirled and eddied along the street. The insolence of him filled her with wordless wrath.
Next morning, just as she had finished making a splendid sale to one of Marvin Draper’s wealthiest customers, Tillie Maxwell, the blonde cashier, called to her, “Miss Godwin, a gentleman left a note for you at the desk.”
Ruth tried to persuade herself that T Q	the note and its author left her in-
different; that it—and he—neithei repelled nor invited״ Maybe he was honest; certainly he was handsome; undoubtedly he was clumsy.
He did not give his name. Billy was a gooc enough name, but he would have to be more ex plicit when they met again. If he admired he! enough to want to protect her why did he skull like a man bent on some unfathomable mission? Her question was answered when Draper’s De partment Store closed that afternoon. Billy was cn hand, as per promise. In broad daylight h< had the unmistakable look of a man who enjoyec the superb comfort of perfectly adjusted nerve! and apple-cheeked health. Ruth nodded anc smiled.
Billy came up to her with an ecstatic smik There was something fine and noble about hi-very looks.
“Ruth,” he said, slipping her watch into her hano and retaining a tight grip on both, “I wanted tt keep you in ignorance of who I was until I could ask you to be my wife. Don’t answer now. I’n going home with you tonight and see your par ents if I may. You know who I am?”
Ruth’s heart bluntly told her that he was tht one man in the world for her, but she could only shake a blushing negative.
“I thought you Were anything but a gentlemai the other night,” she stammered.
“When I sought to return your lost watch,” he laughed. “Well, perhaps you can guess when 1 tell you that my father says you are one of bus-best employes, and that next week, when I take charge of the business, I must give you a raise.”
“Your future husband!” he whispered. “I’m noi going to give you a raise! I’m going to take you into partnership—for life!”
THE END.
THE ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL CAMPAIGN
Many fraternal organizations are becoming greatly interested in the movement now under way to erect suitable memorials to perpetuate the ideals of Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, The campaign to raise funds for this work is being conducted by the Roosevelt Memorial Association, which is being aided by men and women, regardless of party oi creed, in all sections of the country. Particularly are the members of the Loyal Order of Moose entering into the campaign with vigor and enthusiasm.
No such campaign has ever been held in the country. Among the officers of the asso eiation are statesmen, bankers, editors, au thors, painters, sculptors, manufacturers, so cial workers, preachers, labor leaders, college professors, naturalists, explorers, big game hunters, all bound to the late Colonel Roose velt by ties of interest and sympathy. The active head of the association is William Boyce Thompson. William •Jr., who was secretary to Colonel Roosevelt in the White House, is Vice-president.
The Roosevelt Memorial Association is nonpartisan, its purpose being solely to honor the memory of this great American, _ and to preserve by proper memorials his ideals which nave been of such incalculable value to young and old in this country.
Every penny subscribed for the memorial fund will go into that fund, for generous friends of Colonel Roosevelt have undertaken to defray the expenses incidental to the movement. It is the earnest hope of the Association that the number of contributors to this fund will be a gratifying index of the hold that Roosevelt had upon the affections of Americans.
Henry Clay once uttered these eloquent words:
“I know no North, no South, no East, no West, nothing but my Country.”
Theodore Roosevelt might have said that.
MOOSEHEART BAND MEETS BILLY SUNDAY
While the Mooseheart Senior Band was at Davenport, la., on September 20, they were quartered at the Blackhawk Hotel. Billy Sunday, the great evangelist, was also stopping at this hotel. When Mr. Sunday was informed that the band was in the dining room, he immediately came down stairs and made a speech to the boys in which he said “The Loyal Order of Moose or any other fraternity who takes care of the boys and girls can have me.” The band boys gave Mr. Sunday a rousing cheer.