"Poor child! This was what she meant, then," thought Mr. Benson.
"He has begun his share of the sorrows too" he continued
pitifully. "No! I will not waken him back to consciousness." So
he returned alone into the study. Ruth sat where he had placed
her, her head bent back, and her eyes shut. But when he came in
she started up.
"I must be going," she said in a hurried way.
"Nay, Ruth, you must not go. You must not leave us. We cannot do
without you. We love you too much."
"Love me!" said she, looking at him wistfully. As she looked, her
eyes filled slowly with tears. It was a good sign, and Mr. Benson
took heart to go on.
"Yes! Ruth. You know we do. You may have other things to fill up
your mind just now, but you know we love you; and nothing can
alter our love for you. You ought not to have thought of leaving
us. You would not, if you had been quite well."
"Do you know what has happened?" she asked, in a low, hoarse
voice.
"Yes. I know all," he answered. "It makes no difference to us.
Why should it?"
"Oh! Mr. Benson, don't you know that my shame is discovered?" she
replied, bursting into tears--"and I must leave you, and leave
Leonard, that you may not share in my disgrace."
"You must do no such thing. Leave Leonard! You have no right to
leave Leonard. Where could you go to?"
"To Helmsby," she said humbly. "It would break my heart to go,
but I think I ought, for Leonard's sake.
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