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

Mechanically Alice breaks the seal
ana reads the letter placed within her
hands, and signed douglas Rhodes .
!here is silence in the room; but sud-
denly 1t Is broken by a plaintive heart
broken cry, and the reader slight figure
sways forward and falls prone upon the
hoor at her successful rivals feet.
Ringing bell to summon a servant
the stranger only pauses to give one
glance down at Alice's white, stricken
face; then, with triumphant smile up
IN her own, she trails her silken draper
les from the room.
Three years have elapsed Is this
Alice - this quiet. somberly-dressed
young woman bending her sad face over
her needle?
Yes, it is She. 1t is the old tragic story
OF fathers failure and sudden death,
followed by the flight, like swallows be-
fore frost, of the friends whose name
during her days of prosperity had been
legion.
Alone, poor, and friendless, too proud
to sue for help, Alice had left her native
city, and here we find her in the hum
BILE position of companion to an invalid
lady
gay voice sounds in the hall, and
the door opening, there enters the young
daughter of the house.
"Ah, Miss Howard, here you are. |
have been seeking you to ask of YOU a
favor. 1t is this: Will you play awhile
this evening for us to dance? Cousin
Hal writes that he is coming with
friend-the one-armed hero he is ALWAYS
talking about-and I've invited few
others to make it lively. Now please say
yes. 1 know your distaste for meeting
strangers; but the piano can be moved
into the alcove, and you will be quite
secluded
The evening has come, and the guests
have assembled. Alice has been play
ing until she is tired, and now she sits,
her fingers idly resting upon the keys.
The piano stands within lace-draped
recess adjoining small conservatory;
. and just as she is about to begin the
opening bars of favorite waltz, voices
tall upon her ears, and a name is uttered
that causes the blood to rush in a startl-
ed flood through her veins.
Here, Rhodes, is a quiet cool spot.
Come, let's sit down an have an old
time chat" one says. i didn't half
want to come this evening; but had
known l should meet you, should have
felt differently l didn't even hear Won
had returned. When did you arrive?
And where is your wife?''
my wife? Montague, are you crazy?'
"Why, didn't you marry the incom-
parable Olga, after all? Now, old fel-
low, dom pretend ignorance. l CHANGED
to meet in society the handsome creature
whose lamentations caused You to re-
main so long in that frigid Russia, and
when she found out that knew you she
contided to me all about your engage
ment OF course supposed, if betroth-
ed then, you would be married by this.
What broke it off?''
Stay, Montague; give me a chance
| to put a word in edgeways, and as you
know part of the story, | will tell you
all.
With suspended breath, and hands
clasped tightly together, Alice listens.
ITO the incompatible Olga, as you
term her," Douglas goes on. 'you will
perhaps be surprised to hear that l owe
the injury that lost me my arm, and ten
dreary months of suffering in Russian
prison.
TO be brief, met her through visit
ing her uncle and guardian, Appointment
official, who seemed bent on friendship
with me. His niece was polite to. as
| would be to any lady, although what
saw of her character and domineering
! disposition would have rendered me i'm
pervous to the attractions of her beauty
had not already possessed the safe
| guard of as pure and faithful a love as
| ever man was blessed with
I'm the course of time her uncle form
ally rendered me his niece's hand il
marriage, offering me, should consent
to his plans, position that would en-
sure me wealth beyond my most sanSu
inc expectations.
You know how hasty and passionate
the Russian temper is. Well, my de
cided and prompt refusal angered boil
the gentleman and his niece to such {
degree that another month had not pass
ed over my head before | found nysel
arrested, charged with being foreign
agent of that secret society that in The
name of justice exerts such a terrible
and dreaded influence in the country.
Il was imprisoned. Though, 0
course, / was not certain, | suspected
whose were the Vaccinations that haC
brought me into such "A strait.
But the love of life within me wa
too strong to allow me to remain quiet
ly and INTERESTINGLY in my bondage
Twice attempted to escape whel
opportunity occurred The first time
received the bullet which shattered M,
arm and manned me for life.
THE second effort made with the as
sistance OF a keeper whom l had bribe
was successful.
Il came to my own country to I'M
the being loved before all others los
to me. 1t was then that | learned, TO
the first time, of the appearance on
season of the handsome Russian lady
who had so boldly asserted the fact
which was, of course, belieyed-of he
betrothal to me, and of the forged LEI
ter, which, purporting, to come fror
me, had been the means of almost breaE
, ing my gentle loves heart.
mo wonder my friends We're indig
nant, and until | explained, had onl
the coolest, most averted looks for mt
DO you know, Montague. l hav
never known a really happy momer
} since then; for though | have searehe
, increasingly, / have never found a trac
of my Alice, whose trusting heart was
, cruelty bruised."
[ Unheard, Alice rises, and gently draw
aside the lace draperies that part th
J alcove from the fower-tilled nook whel
: the friends are eonyersing, and now, 8
! Douglas concludes and chances up, b
eyes rest upon her face. With a cry b
e springs to his feet
S One long questioning gaze, and thel
surroundings, another presence, all ell
, forgotten save the unexpected bliss