The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-06-26
HEART TO HEART.

closer about her, Alice Howard pa,lses
on the doorstep while she watts a kiss
from the tips of her gloved fingers to the
old gentleman who is standing watching
her with such pleased proud expires.
sion.
Goodbye, papa dear. l do wish you
were going. But don't worry about me.
Mrs. Grayson is the best of chaperons,
and she viii see that your little giri
comes back safely. Goodbye"
Another moment and the carriage.
door has closed, and Alice is being wbirl.
ed to the festive scene of which She will
be the bright particular star
1t Is not because she is rich hat oul
heroine is the favorite that she is, no,
yet because she is beautiful, although
the most indifferent observer would pro
nounce her that, with the queenly grace
of her bearing, and her face with its
brilliant sapphire-blue eyes, and her Skin
as purely fair and downy as the velvety
petals of white rosebud.
But it is something besides that at
tracts everyone to Alice Howard, fol
goodness and amiahility are stamped up
on each exquisite feature, proclaimine
Enthusiastically the eXistance of noble
character beneath.that fair exterior.
She looks more than usually lovely to
night, and there is one whose dark eve.
light up with peculiar glow as they
rest admiringly upon her
1t is two years since Douglas Rhode.
| and Alice first met, and their friendship
since then has pursued an even, unevent
| full course, until of late a change has
| come.
Alice sees that upon no other do Doug
| las 5 handsome eyes rest with such 3
| gentle tenderness of expression, anC
that when he speaks the s0ftest, riches
tones of his voice are for her alone
Why it is so is n riddle not hard to read
That Douglas loves her she feels ant
hopes, for she knows that within hel
own heart the tendrils of her warn
young affection have long since twineC
themselves about his image
The hours glide rapidly and delight
fully by upon pleasure sradiant pinions
| amid sweet sounds and sweeter scents
MY darling! my queenn' the youn!
man thinks rapturously, this nigh
must not pass over my head without M
telling her how deeply, fervently / how,
her. 1 can wait no longer a.
But Mrs. Grayson proves to be til,
most rigid of chaperOns, and no oppor
tunity occurs long enough for Dougla
to utter the words that trenlble upon hi
lips.
''Have you enjoyed YOURSELF" h
asks. as he stands with his hand on tn
carriage door.
Alice draws deep breath. 1T ha
been lovely!' she exclaims.
MAY | come tomorrow morning t
see how you are feeling after your fat
guep" he asks. s
| ''Do Hook fatigued nowP'' she says
raising her lustrous brilliant eyes laugh
ingly to his.
Il cannot truthfully say that you do,
he replies with an answering smile
But all the same, with your permission
| will call in the morning"
| The next day the Howard mansion
the scene of two momentous interview
-one in the library with the master {
house, and another in the tapestry hun
drawing-roOm.
There is a great bow-window at on
end of the apartment, and there, wit
no other listeners than the lilies, tbs
lift their snowy heads from the ,jdrdtr
iereS, and the maiden by his side a
stately fair as they, Douglas tells h
story and receives his answer
A month slips away, and it is
changed Alice we see to-day, with tn
carnation gone from cheeks and lips, an
great tears in the sapphire-blue eyes.
''Be brave, my own; it will not be fc
long" ss.
But, Douglas, cannot be brave!
has come so unexpectedly, and you al
going so far, so very, very far ava.
What if something should happentopa
us from each otherp"
Douglas draws her closer to him an
| kisses her tear-wet face. E..E5
What could happen, my darling
What could ever come between us say
death alone? Surely you know, Alic
| that nothing could have induced me
90 so far from you were it not that
felt that it would be tempting Prov
dence to reject such an advantageoI
opening. A year will not be long pas
inc, and then, my dear, can return wit
the wings of love TO your side.
So they part, and Douglas goes to Il
distant country whittier bright prospec
of a certain fortune have allured hir
The year glides slowly along to Alic
whose happiest hours are those brigh
ened by reading Douglass frequent lie
tiers. But suddenly they cease to com
II and months intervene, and still she hea
nauoht of the lover who, by this tim
was to have been once more with he
Then the maiden's heart sinks with
- ar tender breast as she remembers /
emphatic words: IA
Nothing can come between us sa'
r death alone.
Twelve months more of anxious wa
ing fail to bring any news, and then o.
day a servant brings to Alice card u
ON which is engraved an cid foreie
i'd name.
tie AS she enters the drawing-room 81
E; her caller rises, Alice thinks that new
before have her eyes rested upon beau
4 80 dazzling.
n Il am from Russia, " the stranger
olains in correct English, though will
decided foreign accent, land am winte
inc here in England with some frienG
4 ON hearing your name | recognised
4 as one have often heard upon the Ii
. of INV betrothed, Mr.. Rhodes. Whei
left home he asked me, if by chanc'
should meet you, if would give this
you from him."
Here she hands sealed envelope
Alice. who has been listening, scarce
q crediting her own powers OF hearlI
= Who is she, this darkly handsome straI
erP And what does she mean by spei