Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-02-11


"Do not distress yourself, - he said gravely,
recovering his self possession. Was this his
first visit of coincidence, and so soonl
1T was about Miss Bertha Then she
caught her breath and went on as if she were
afraid he would interrupt her he started so
violently. Il know what lover you are-if
mine had only been like you;' she dropped
her eyes and went on without looking at him,
but the girl you liked so much that you
were blind to how mean she was. she never
loved you she never cared anything for
you"
Philip had moved uneasly in his chair "a
she began, but now he sat still as death, with
his eyes fixed, as if in some fatal charm, on
the girls face. She grew pale as she talked,
all but one bright spot in either cheek
Il could tell it when your name was spoken
before her; women notice things like that
and when she expected yOu--Iud when she
expected the other
His eyes fell in shame. He wished noun
tain might fall on him to shield his hurt face
from even this poor girls scrutiny. But she
hurried on as if she took pleasure in his vino
ing nerves "If you could have seen how her
face warmed at his coming, and her voice, so
cold to you, shook and stumbled when she
welcomed him. And how her hands would
nestle like kitten in his--at look You
never saw her like that, did youi And there
was no pillow so soft, you would think, as his
shoulder and'--
81 cannot stand this he cried, starting to
his feet. DO you think l am made Of
stonen
Wasn't it pretty sght' l used to love
to hang out of my window to see it, or follow
her out on Sunday walks Her kind of
women make the biggest fools of themselves;
so cold and lofty like you would think them
angels; when all of a sudden they lose their
heads, and there's nothing too wild for them
to do for some man, till they get over it,"
Her eyes were all ablaze with hate, but
Philip hung on the scornful lips as if it were
not poison he drank from them.
But she did not get over it," he faltered
when she stopped. He raised his hands to
cool his beating temples; his fingers were cold
as ice
THAT is it; it lasted longer than counted
on. thought she'd come to her senses be-
fore she could do anything rash. And then
/ supposed he wouldn't leave the village and
what he was doing here, just yet
But why didn't you tell mef
EWhat could YOU have donel She cared
nothing for you. But | was doing the best
knew, if they hadn't been too quick for me-
was waiting till l thought she was Just mad
over the man. never supposed they would be
so quick y her bosom rose and fell as if it were
hard for her to catch her breath. II knew
one thing was sure and when it would hurt
her the most was going to have tried it. If
l had only hurried She rose, sobbing
violently, but she shed no tears. Philip had
no consideration for her emotion.
"What was it: oh, why didn't you do it p
His form tremhled as if he stood in winters
blast, while drops of perspiration gathered
on his forehead.
"I-I-hated so toto break his heart. IL
knew he wnuld-would never get over it. EIe
amt the kind that
Curse him'' cried Philip, "what is he TO
me-"
Il was going to tell him that she was en-
gagged to You. [ knew he would never for
give her for deceiving him"
And he didn't kno~itf
All if he had, he was that honest--you
don't know him. But l was too slow, and
now, my God, my Godr7 Then she rose to
her feet and tied her veil tightly about her
face and moved toward the door But Philip
Breton was there before and held it
Tell me first what YOU came here for to-
nightT The answer came sharp as n knife
Because 1 wanted to make you hate that