The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-16

no less
His impetuosity seemed to emuse Herbert.
"a en- afraid suca thing is an impossible
ity.n he sail, serenaly. Il shall not insult
You by telling YOU sha is all but penniless
geniuSes, know, never think OK money
but fear | must pain you by saying she
repents of her tasty words"
That said Gerald slowly, yet fiercaly,
"is lie"
My good si', cannot allow You To use
sucl word My temp]r is far, Tut it has
its limits
II ;poiogiza." said G7ralt, snlisniy. 81
should have said you were coarc:ns her"
Il never coorcel any one IN my lie,
much less my sister Naturally. | shall o.
jet 10 her marriage with you hut TINT
makes no difference"
Tell me what You have to tell, said
Gerald, netvcu,!y. He hated AMI feared
this smooth, Smiling man.
In few wcsdl, tLln NJ sister il IN
happy ani unsettled t'yr several DAYS she
has BEEN trying 10 ans = &: later you sent
he. At last sae clnh 'ol iii 10 IA. l am
sure ! an not gon, tuJ far va u / say she
ould be glad to thint that al! hoy AL girl
promiaes between VOC were fcrao,ton"
she sent You to teli N. thu. asked Ger
ala. hoarselg.
mo. She rDew | was c,miag / am
tutting her thoughts IL ny Cwn words
Il don't expect you TO understand what
nv love for your sistec ineaI5-you c1uit
not y said Gerald ''Bu. yoa know she ha,
vowed to be my wife
"Yes-aut will keep be: promise if YOU
insist upon it." The emphasis Herbert laid
on insist made Gerald's heart sick
He said nothing but with a strang smils
ca his white face went to tahls an /
wrote few words lie handel the paper
to his visitor.
messenger, now you can to mins. Tae
words were:
EUGENIA: If this is unanswerei, stall
believe that you wish to recall everything
that has passed between US
Thank you, said Herbert. This is all
could exDec,."
With trembling bands the sculptor placed
the paper in an envelope AMI once more toa-
dered it to Herbert.
No, thank you, sal Herbert People
have been tempted TO suppress letters be
fore now Post it in the ordinary way
Gerald left the room lie returned IN a
few moments, ami Herbert knaw that the
letter had been posted He had nothing
further to do with Gerald, so held out his
hand affably.
No" said Gerald Il would rather
not His eyes were cleaning strangely
As you viii, sad Herbert with indifsr-
euca.
II will change my mind, said Ga.a in
low voice, AMI taking the Others hand
CONDEMNED people always shake hands
with the hangmaI1 / think
He spoke with ghastly attempt at mirth
Herbert left the studio without another
word, but as ne drove to Mrs CathclTt's
said TO himself: ''Ths sooner thai beggar
.hoOts or hangs himself the better
He went straig ht TO MS sister. BE placed
his hand on her shoulder, AMI, with d loo.
she had never yet seen on his facs, said in 4
cold, contenp tuous manner:
"Eugsnia, | have been taking some
trouble On your behalf Today two things
are going to happen which will settle your
future NoTgate will be here presently to
ask YOU to b. his wife By the naxC mail
you will get e lett5r from that stonecutter
Before you answer it shut yourself up and
think until you @o in proper frame OF
mind Women are fools, but surely you
can't be the biggest among them
You have seen him" said Eugenia,
family.
Yes. An extremely nice young MANN
his place
Was he weIls
Very well and very comfortable. My
lear girl, he quite won my respect-a thor.
oughly practical young man, with lots OF
common ssnse. Now, goodbye Don make
| any mistake"
Did she hear arighti Her brother found
Gerald thoroughly practical young man
This lie was SO gigantic that it seemed i'm
POSSIBLE it could be oil lie. She was re.
volving 1t in her mind even when Sir Ralph
Noegate was announced.
As for the practical young man be had
locked his door and thrown himself on thc
| ground. James H-rbert's words had i'm
pressed him, and perhaps his faith in Eu
genia's faith was not SO great as he fancled
| Tomorrow he would know the verdict. Ii.
| felt sure that if his lette? remained unan
| swered fer twenty -four hours james Her
| tort had spoken the truth
Miss Herbert found her brother a tru:
prophet. Sir Ralph Norgate offered hi.
hand, and when the offer was refused to,c
| her be did not mean 10 accept her ans wei
as final. She did not, on her part, say any
| thing about her love being given elsewhere
| Then Gerald's letter cams, and following bel
| brothers advice, she did think every thins
over; she sat for hours trying to nerve her
| self to answer the letter as love and faitt
demanded
| She loved him. Had he been present be,
| INDIGESTION would soon have vanished; Tut
| as 1t was, she could reflect fully on what al
| answer to his letter must mean-alienatio:
| Of all Ter ffiends--an end CT social ambi
| tion-many years, if not life, of poverty
| Eugenia shuddsred as she thought of tn,
consequences and wishs1 that she and Ger
| aid had never met. S5a WISHED, moreover
| tba. the temptations Of rank and wealtl
| held cut by her other suitor were less
What would Gerald do il his letter wer.
| not answereds Ii she could but persuade
herself that her brothers estimate of hi
character was the right one Possibly i
| might be-James knew mankind well.
she could but think so-could believe tina
Gerald would forget--she might then fint
it easier to be wise, and, by taking him a
his word. save herself and perhaps him iron
what must insure unhappiness.
She was no heroine Of romance. She we
not one who could lightly defy the world o
despise what the world values Gerald,
farvent impetuosity had won her love, bu
she had al ways blamed him for winning il
| Now, If she could bring herself to tread II
m easy, simple road to freedom was open