The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-02-28


ton OF star seemed to splash into the |
waves.
1t was gollen August evening, moonless |
but radiant, with the balmy air fall of fra |
GRANGE of made hay, mingling not un-
pleasantly with the salt breath Of the sea, |
and the sky all glorious with the dolphin |
like hues of the dying day, and Miss Sediey, |
sitting on tho hotA balcony in her floating !
robes OF white India muslin girded with |
scarlet, and scarlet verbenas i'll her hair, |
made an exceedingly pretty adjunct to the
scene. She was brunette, vita brilliant
complexion, al cream and crimson, jet
black hair, straigat AMI glossy as an Indians
aad eyes whose melting briiIiance WAS like
the dusky glow ,i ,ropic stars,
No wonder that little Ralph Moatacute,
ins enthusiastic boy of Is, was medly in
love with her-no yTOlGer that he hung on
her slightest word as an eastern devotee
hangs on the priests oracular uttoraneea.
slowly, Pauline, When l am at your side
lie said, little reproachfuliy.
Pauline laughed anu turned tho diamond
and opal rings carelessly around on her
fingers.
You are only enid, Ralph" she said, e
little disdaintuliy
Il am year older than you, Pauline"
Pauline S5ediey reached up to tap his
flushed, beariles, check with her fan.
"A girl Of Il Is equal 10 Il man Of y, any
time, Ralph Noure Il nice little cavalier.
and You dance the polka delightfully."-, bat
You see you are not fairly ont Of the tor
and ball phase yet. Now, there's Guatavu5
Melville, he's man, and your cousin, Harry
Livingston, cavalier sans peur, ct saus re-
procha.' Maj. Lvingstone'S majestic eyes
are enough to set any woman's heart in
blaze"
Snc spoke abstractedly, looking out toward
the sea, and apparently unconscious that
she had any auditor bat the far or waves
and the mantling-tW
"Pauline!' calculated tho boy, passion
ately i may be young IN years, but you
have taught my Eeart premature develop
nlent You have no ligat to speak to me
thus after playing with my affections all the
summer"
Pauline glanced up in ast0nishment Fin
ished coqGette that size was, she hardly
pected this outburst from the most insigniii-
cant Of all her victims. She had encouraged
Ealph MOntacutt's too visible infatuatlOn
simply because 1t pleased her to make
captive Of the pretty hoy, and now she was
as much taken by surprise as would be tie
| fisherman if a writing trout should sud
| denly find Voice 10 demonstrate when the
| hook was being twisted cut Of his quiyegin5,
! jaws.
My dear Raipn, your are talking Ron
| sense She sail lightly.
! Nonsense! l. it nonsense to tell you that
love you-that my heart has passed II
)
! be desert without yop:'
| "Yes-very absurd nonsense! Go back to
| school, Ralph, or college, for dear child,
shoult as soon think OF marrying little
! Tony Warwick, who has just got cut Of
merno 1rocks"
! Ralph Aontacata was silent. Paulines
! lightly spoken words or ridicUla cut him 70
the heart.
Pauline he said, almost stern}y, do
| you think YOU have treated me honorabIy"
Pauline yawned.
'HouoTanly! what big word for the &C
Casion! One must anuse ones self ut Il
| place like tAis ma yoa certainly ought ty
! understand the difference between n nere
| harmless Irritation and real, sober earnest
Now. Ralph, do be sensible and leave oil
teasing me, that's a good boy"
Ralph turned away.
i see Mr. Melville coming this way. Eoa
VIII excuse mo, Paulme:'
On, certainly
Paul.n2 drew deep breath Of relief Is
! her youthful swain walked away toward the
star-liShtod beach.
"Who would imagine that the little fellow
would have LAID 1t 50 seriously to heart" sae
nurnured softly as she extended lily
white hand toward Mr. Melville, who v.it b
half dozen others mai sauntered up the
piazza steps.
Won are looking grave, fair tragi2 queen,
said Melville drawing his bamboo cuair a
tribe closer to her. Mag ola Of the hum
best OF all your Save, venture to ASA
Why"
"Dii you ever kill or MAIN butterfly
demanded Pauline, suddenly
a great many tunes, am airaid, III the
thought!e,sles, of early youth But why DC
you ask
Because / have just done the same thing y
Mr.. Melville glanced 9uestioningly roun
oh" laughed Pauline, 1T wasn't a rea
winged insect, Mr.. Melville. l was but
speaking meta phorically. After all, that's d
matter Of no particular con5eqaeac only $
lesson the chil3 needed 10 cure him Of soma
thing very like presumption Its little
Ralph Montacute; he had the impartirency
to tell me that he loved me. The idea Of &
child like that lakiug advantage OF the en-
! cOuraCement one may have thOughtleSsly
given him to imagine its too ride
uIoGs.'
Faith, ! don't see the ridiculous side OF
it, said Melville sternly. "Montacute i
young, but he is Il manly fellow, and
pardon me, sovcrei IN lady Of al! hearts
but you did encourage him most markedly. >
Il never thou Eht Of anything serious,
lispel Pauline, with an artlessne,s truly an
, gelic; at Wa, only the chance amusement OF
an hour
Melville shrugged his shoulders.
"A good deal like the story of the frog
and the boys" he said. But to dismiss al
less pleasant subjects-what DO You say to q
row on tie sea by Starlight
Il shall be delightod.'
AMI the merry group vanished into tn
enpurplci darkness their voices ringing OF
! the air ioag alter their forms were iInpsr.
ceptible.
Then, AMI not till then, tall fgur
raised itself from the bamboo settee, OF
couch, Just within ths wide open windows
where btc Gun liitASlIil 81 cD-
at every breath of the soft summer nigh
breeze, and Major Harry Livingstone cooliy
walked out upon the pizza, igniting his ciga
, IS he did So
"The coquette' he muttered between hi
set teeth; the heartlesi Airt Now l begii
better to comprehend poor Ralph's varyiu.
moods of late She has broken the boy
heart, and cares no more for it than if sh
, had cracked on Of the china cologne bottle
n on her dressing tablet Wen, this is
strange world! If Pauline had taken
Handkerchief or purse from Ralphs poke
the iron haud OF the law woul! lie down
, upon her Immediately, but she steals hi
heart out Of his bosom. and society looks q
with smiling face and folded hands
why is there no law, made and enacted
to punish such heartleSS crimes as these
For crimes they are-black, treacherous
crimes, even though perpetrated so charm
ingly By beauties like Pauline Sedley ani
her sister coquettas! And this fair, inuo
, cent boy, whom loved like a brother; tn
coolest heart might have spared him. b.
, Cupid ami all hs atten liant deities, viii :,
D revengel on Pauline Sailey for thisl'
r AT almost the same moment Ralph nonta
: cute came slowly I'D TO the piazza stao; n,