A Colonial Wooing
exhausted. As he had already so frequently done, he interrupted him in a firm way that admitted of no protest being entered, and remarked, calmly, slowly, and with such definiteness of expression that there would be no excuse if the committee wrongly reported him to the meeting.
"My Friends," John said, "I have been led, as you may know, to look with a more than merely friendly interest upon Ruth. Being myself free of all others, and believing her to be, I offered her my hand and she accepted it. Upon what ground her step-father disapproved I have never learned, but, what is of greater moment, her mother has not spoken against it. Ruth was opposed to returning to England, I equally so to have her go, but took no step to prevent it. Neighbor Watson withheld the whole truth, which made us suspicious, and that we were correct in our forebodings Robert Pearson fortunately and most unexpectedly discovered; but acting as he thought best, in his judgment and with Ruth's approval, he allowed Neighbor Watson's plans
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