Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-12-11

favorable answer would promptly follow
when he chose to propose to Rachel Bond, or
to an other girl, and when this came with the
anticipated readiness, be could not help in the
midst of his qualification at her assent the in
trnsion of the disagrecable suspicion that.
peradventure, he had not done the best with
his personal wares that he might Possibly
there would appear in tino sorie other girl,
whom he might prefer to Rachel, and at all
events there was ne necessity for his commit
ting himself when he did, for Rachel "would
shave kept" as Ned Eulneigh coarsely put it.,
when made the recipient Of IIarry's conf
dence.
Three months Of coralanionship with Ned
Bn,nleigh and daily inhibition of that young
mans stories Of his wonderful conquests
among young women of peerless beauty and
exalted social station confirmed this feeling,
and led him TO wish f1v at least such slacken-
ing of the bctrothal tetl,cr as would permit
excursions into a charmed realm like that
where Ned rcigned supreme
For the thousandth tiinc-and III each re-
currcncc becoming I little clearer defined
and more urgent--tUIne the question:
.-Shaii break with nachals How can Il
And what possible excuse can / assign for
itf
There came 10 answer TO this save the spurs
with which base sCi-lovc was pricl.ing the
sides of his intent. and hc recoilcd from it
ashamed of himself, it is true, but less
nshar ed at each renewed consideration Of
the query.
He FASTENED home that he might receive a
greeting that would efface the memory of the
reception he had met with in the street.
There, at least, he wouI lie regarded as a
hero, returning laurcl-crowned from the con
flict
As be entered the door his father. tell, spare
ard iro.-@ray, laid down the paper he was
reading and with noticeable lowering of the
temperature of his wonted calm but earnest
cordially, said simply;
"How do You do? When did You get in"
"Vcry well, ard on the 1880 train"
Did all your company Gomez"
Harry WINGED. for there was something in
his fathers manner. moro than bis words. OK
pressivo Of strong disapproval lie an
swerCd:
NO; was unwcll The water and the cx-
posurc disagreed with me- ami l was allowed
TO come on III advance"
MI. Uitn, lnS CNiti, carefully lOiuHu Inc
paper he was reading and laid it on the stand,
rs if its presence would embarrass him in
what he was about 10 say. He took off
his eyeglasses, wiped them deliberately,
closed them up and heSitated for moment,
holding them between the thumb and fore
finger of one hand before placing them in
their case, which he had taken from his
pocket with the other.
These were ell gestures with which expert
ence had made Harry painfully familiar. He
used to describe them TO his boy intimates as
the governor clearing for action There
was something very disagIeeable coming, ami
he awaited it apprehensively.
Were you'-the fathers cold, searching
eyes rested for an Instant on the glasses in his
hand, and then Were fixed on his sons face
were you too i'll the day of the fight to ac-
company your commando
HarTy's glance guailed under the pene-
tratmg scrutiny. as was his custom when his
father subjected him to relentless catechiSm:
then be summoned assurance to his aid, and
his face rcddcIel With both genuine ard
assumed anger
Father liz sai.i i Certainly did not OK
pect that sou ouid juin these nean-spirited
ours in th-ir abli>c If n.e, but now | see
that
"Henry, you cyat,e the question" Til.
calm eyes tlokoNa st,ely hardness "Nou
certainly know by this time that I clvavs re