The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-01-21
A JEALOUS LOVER.

y
he had been engaged since last years
london season. ~ ~ .,-.. .es5r
Mabel Stanhope was pretty, grace
ul girl of eighteen. ''Not beautiful, by
INV means,'' her dear friends in society |
would assure you. Yet, somehow, no
girl, in or out of society, had SO many
.riumphs as she-not the least among
which was her present one, which had
brought the rich and handsome officer
Of dragons to her feet
ssNot beautiful, by any means" per-
haps. Yet to Hugh Blakney she was
''fairest among women" even in the |
midst of his anger against her; but he |
bit his lip and steeled his heart afresh |
against the appealing, wistful glance |
that Mabel's blue eyes turned toward
him.
You are so jealous-so unreason-
able, Hugh,n she stammered. you
have taken such a dislike to poor Ed
gar, and you will not listen to-
Poor Edgar. indeedn' exclaimed the
major. Your cousin? Oh, yes! l
know all about such cousins-confound
them! Last night could scarcely get
chance to speak to you for him; and to-
day=why, that is his ring on your hand
at this moment, is it notP'
her lovers ewes fell upon the solitaire
diamond blazing in solitary magn1heence
upon her right hand.
1T is-that is, he asked me to wear
it for him. she stammered, ''tin he
can.
THAT is eneugh-quite enough, MISS
Stanhope,'' said the major, growing
angrier with every word that he ut
tered. 81 viii not trouble you to tell
me to co.
With that, he bowed low, turned up
on his heel, and walked suddenly away.
Mabel looked sadly after him, and then
went slowly homewards, her blue ven
drawn down over her face, ana her
bright eyes full of tears.
People had often accused her of CO.
ouetr-v heretofore, and there might have
been some truth in the accusation. one
was very young and very fascinating, III
spite of that lack of perfect beauty
which made all her female friends SO
anxious about her, and being too mex
perienced as yet to understand her own
bower. she had used it once or twice
Somewhat heedlessly, if not unmerclful-
".
But in Hugh Blakney she had met
her fate. He was the man of men to
her. whom, loving once, she could love
truly and for ever-only, if he was often
coino to develop a jealousy like this
and refuse to hear her explanation OF 1ta
apparent cause. why in that case a me
with him would not be exactly ''all blue
skv and roses" thought poor little Ma
bel. with sigh.
When it was time for her to accompa-
nv her mother on the short afternoon
| drive which the doctor had ordered,
| Mabel looked in vain among the crowd
| of fashionables who thronged the espia-
made at Eastbourne, for the well-known
| figure, tall and erect, on the back OF
s1Silver Grey"
| .If he only would have listened till
! could tell about the ring?" sighed ma
| bel. for the fftieth time, as they allghted
in the darkening twilight, at the door OF
| their house.
"a gentleman is waiting, please, tt
| see Won. mi@,''- said the lady 's-mald
| meefino them in the hall, and taking
charge of Mrs. Stanhope with re
proachful air, for they were later thar
| usual by half-an-hour.
Mabel flew like bird to the drawing
/ room to meet her lover.
But it was only Edgar Rolleston wht
| came forward to meet her-''Cous1n ia
gar whose diamond ring she wore
She drew the ring from her finger
| after the first salutations were over, ant
| gave it back to him.
Il must not keep it for you, Edgar,
she said. MY wearing it has airead
made trouble for me-"
.sWith HughP" asked her cousin
! Eyes
| "Oh. that is all right now! | calle'
partly to tell you that, Nab You see
/ went out this afternoon III Russeil
Yacht. and Blakney went, too, and yer
shortly he began upon me about tina
very thing. / explained it, and w
| were good friends at once, l assure you
But YOU nearly lost us both"
s'What do you mean?"
.eYou see, dragons are no sailors
I've ALWAYS said that. And SO, in maj
aoine the yacht, what did be do br
oyerturn us all? It was near thin
for short time, and I'm afraid he
nav dearer than any of us for the froli'
poor old fellow"
.sWbv?s' asked Mabel, turning whit
to the lips.
.eSome broken beam from the dec
hit him near the heart while we WEI
struggling in the water. Inc ooct'
has doubts; but we hope he may pu
tbrourh in spite of him, said Edga
rolling his hat round upon his knee.
saw, Nab, can / go up stairs and see ''t,. n \
auntp Or viii she come down ne
again this EVENING"
7..Oh, go to her room, by all means
said Mabel, who was dying to get ria
him. ..Shc viii not mind You,
She scarcely waited to see him out
sight on his way to her mothers DO
dor before she wrapped her cloi
around her and was in the stree
Straight to the hotel she sped She w
9 now far past caring for comment III
might be made by the uncharltabie, U
on the proceeding. And in the corr1d
she saw the physician coming from q
siek-chamber, and straightway caug
him by the arm.
..Doctor Fairly.'' she said, breathles
" .sOb. wait, and tell me all about hi
psleasel Is lie SO very badly hurt? w
:. he diep Does he know anyone won
Won take me in there just for one "a
ment2 Ieannotrest all have spo.'
to hira--till i have asked hinl TO forgl
- I 80. ca ,Inkind to him t0-aa