Chapter V: A Chain

MEANTIME, Ruth was once more alone, and as her father had gone out directly he had swallowed his dinner, she knew she must settle herself for a long, lonely evening. She made up the fire and sat down on the skin rug, resting her elbow against a soft armchair in her favourite position. If it had not been that her mind was full of her father's partner, and where he would live, and what his young wife would be like, her thoughts would have wandered sorrowfully over her dull, cramped life; for unless she was rousing herself to be cheery with her father, there was ever present with her a certain undefined feeling that it was hard of him to frown upon all her friends, and to think that she could do very well without them.

But to-night her little ticking watch, her change of scene at Worcester, her anticipations of an outside interest, and her hopes of a friend made her quite happy. And she sat there dreaming of what she would do, and how she would plan, till her head sank on her arm and her day-dreams lost themselves in a real sleep.

"Hullo! All in the dark!" said Dr. Brown's voice. "Where are you Ruth? Ring for the lights, my dear. Why, I've something to show you!"

Ruth sprang up, and soon there was a blaze of light, and the maid brought tea.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "I got thinking, and fell asleep, I believe."

"I believe you did! Well, there is a man waiting in the servants' hall who has an interesting parcel under his arm!"

Ruth looked amazed. What could her father mean?

"And if he is to catch the last train back, we must release him. I determined I would not be 'done,' even if I had forgotten your birthday!"

"But you had not! See here?"

"Tell him to walk up," said Dr. Brown.

So the young man came in, and the parcel was opened on the ottoman, and its contents spread out before Ruth's astonished eyes.

"I thought I should not be in Worcester for a long time, so I telephoned to Hickson to send me over some chains, and here they are! You can choose the one that pleases you best, for I told Hickson they were all to be within the price I named."

"Oh, father! But may Morris come up? I should like her to help me choose. She was so kind over my watch."

"Certainly."

So Morris was sent for, and a happy three bent over the glittering cases, while Ruth, satisfied that she might suit her taste without any fear of being what she called "grasping," chose the very chain of all others that she had wished to possess—a long, delicate one which she assured her father would keep her dear watch much safer than one that would let it fall out of her belt.

"If you are pleased, I am!" he said, and took the man into the library to settle the bill, while Morris stood by with beaming smiles.

"When master sets at a thing, he does it quickly, doesn't he, Miss Ruth?" she said. "To think of his having telephoned for them."

"Indeed he does! Has the young man had any supper?"

"Oh, I've seen to that while he was waiting for master. And he was grateful, for he had had nothing since midday. He missed the train through a mistake, or he would have been here at seven."

So ended Ruth's birthday; for as soon as her father had taken his tea, she wished him good-night and went up to her room.

There she found Morris making up the fire.

"Oh, Morris! How kind of you! Did Jane forget it?"

"No, miss; she was just coming up, but I said I would come as it is your birthday."

Ruth stood looking into the fire for a moment in silence, and Morris turned over her pretty presents thoughtfully.

"You have been very kind to me to-day, Morris, and I appreciate it. I've had a very nice birthday."

"I'm so glad, my dear," said Morris, in her comfortable voice.

But as she kissed her dear young lady and went downstairs, she said to herself, "Well, well! There's no one but Jesus can comfort her truly; and if she will not allow me to say much to her, she cannot hinder me from praying. And the Lord can draw her to Him in His own time and way; and I believe He will!"