Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-02-04
CHAPTER XIII.
CLASS PREJUDICE.

but that everything was as usual inside The
door stood invitingly open, as it should on such
| q balIny summer evening, the light streaming
beautifully out on the walk A catastrophe
surely would have left some sign, some
fatal mark somewhere to curdle ones blood
from afar. How foolish of this black eyed
maiden and him to rush at the top of their
speed in an agony of suspense only TO find
Bertha sitting at the parlor table mild eyed
and serene as he had used to know herl She
had only stepped across the street perhaps
How she would wonder TO SEQ him hurry
ing in his unreasonable fear into her pres
encel But he would pour into her ears such
| torrent of words of love that she would
bless him thousand times that be had come
back, and their happiness would date from
tonight. Perhaps she had tender conf.
dences for him. too, of how wonderfully she
had grown into the love he had longed for,
and she would whisper to him that the few
weeks of estrangement had been blessing of
God for her, and he need never again COM
plain of the GOODNESS of her love. Life is not
so serious and tragical an affair as one some
times thinks; things don't always plunge
into the ruin they are pointed toward.
By the time Philip stepped into the door,
he had fully discounted his expected relief
indeed, had almost persuaded himself that he
had had no msgivngs there seemed so little
sense in misgivings.
But he did not find the blue eyed woman he
loved at her parlor table. He looked for a
crochet needle or a square of canvas, which
might show the marks of recent work; but
the round table was in perfect order Tho
little book shaped card basket stood near the
bronze base of the drop lamp. A large red
morocco bound volume, called The Dresden
Gallery" was tilted up little by blue and
gold book of Swnburne's poems, on which it
had been laid. The gracefully carved book
rack was full, all but one space the volume of
poems might have fitted into.
"Just as l arranged it after tea" said Jane
Graves, moving uneasily about.
"For heavens sake be STILL he exclaimed
He stepped out into the hall.
"Why, here is her shawl" he said, with a
lightened heart.
at is her heavy shawl that is gomez" the
girl looked peculiarly at him when she added
almost under her breath, "the one she takes
on evening drives"
Philip shot a glance of sudden intelli-
gence at her, and terrible suggestions and
| recolectons came crowding their hateful
meanings upon him. The mad blood seemed
congesting about his heart, and yet his face
| blazed like fire. Good Godn he shouted
hoarsely, ''if you dare to breathe it win
l
caught the bell knob at the door and rang it
fiercely, and then again, before its echoes had
| ceased, and again and again.
| "And is there another fro, your honorN'
| The broad faced chambermaid had come
| up from the kitchen and stood with arms
akimbo, trying to make her rich Irish Voice
heard above tho sounding gong.
''Do you know where your mistress isf'
"No-a; if she be not inside, indaden
Didn't she go over to IA neighbours some
where" questioned Philip eagerly.
mot that knows on, sir
HAS anybody been herel Didn't you tend
door, you ninny!n
1.-The bell didn't ring till now, sir; but lave
| me think a bit, and the woman rubbed her
head meditatively.
"Quick," cried Philip, between hope and
fear.
| Don't scare me, sir, or | can't do nothink ~
He moved his feet restlessly on the inlaid
hall floor, and he had bowed his head as if
studying the artists design; but it was for
| fear he should catch some terrible signifi-
| canoe in Jane Graves black eyes. He coul
hear her dress rustic; he knew she was look
ing at him, waiting for him to lift his face;
but he would not have met her eyes at that
moment for all the world.
"Yis, there was a rumblin' team come up,
l
dure and thin go back; but the bell didn't
ring, sir, and didn't make no count on it.
No, sir, l hewitt hearn missus movin roun'
| sense, and knows she be all over the house
| beforen
The creatures tongue was Embossed and
| she kept on talking, but Philip had bounded
| up the broad stairs and thrown open the door
of the room he thought was Bertha's.
| In another moment tho gas blazed mp to
| the ceiling and he stood, wild eyed, looking
from side to side as If no thought to find a
| heart breaking story written all over the
| gold papered walls. Then his eyes became
| fixed OH the black walnut bureau with its
| long mirror coming down through the CEN
tor. On the marble slab at the foot of tho
| mirror he saw u satin covered handkerchief
case, and pinned upon it piece Of paper.
| In three steps he had clutched little per-
| fumed note, with ribbon fastened on it as il
| for signal a delicate bow of white ribbon.
1 Mr.. Ellingsworth's name was written on it.
| 1t was all here and yet Philip hesitated a
moment as a man would hesitate to cut off q
| manned and poisoned limb And it was al
most unconsciousy at last that his nervous
| fingers tore the note open and let the bit Of
| white ribbon flutter to the floor. He seemed
to read very slowly and the flush faded from
his face and left it very calm. There could
| Do nOLnlilb very NTIIteI JueTe surely.
| But every line and curve was branded for
ever on his heart
| ~ have gone with Curran knew could
not stand your reproaches, but can only be
happy with the man l love. Society will dis
own me. He is more to me than ALL
| BERTHA"
He crushed the bit of paper in his hand,
and looked up to see Jane Graves standing in
| the doorway, pale as death. Beside her stood
| the red checked chanbermaid, speechlesS
| again. this time with astonishlnent to see the
| young man make SO free in her mistress
| chamber
| "Gone with Curran; oh yes, it is all writ
| ten out. Well, that is a joke; man who
| don't wear cuffs and Bertha loves himI
| Why, never could dress tosuit her" And
| he threw himself into chair and burst into
commissions of laughter till the tears came.
"Well, there may be something else" and
| he stepped jauntily up to the bureau again.
Certainly, jewel box with my name on
it; obi to be sure, our engagement ring" He
held it up to catch the sparkle Of the solitaire
diamond. "Yes, yes, very proper and deli
| cate spirit. ! wasn't mistaken 10 Bertha, she
| always had nice sense of propriety."
| He came n little unsteadily toward the
| two women Jano Graves was pale aRd still
as death, with her two little hands pressed
| tightly upon her bosom. Philip wondered
;mpatiently what was the matter with the
| girl If he could treat the whole wretched
business like huge joke, what the deuce
was the use of her playing tragedy queen over
| iti What child's play life's solemnest woes
| and failures are after all mans dread of
| them! It IL mixing up flesh and blood with
| them spoils their grand effects. Men and
women are only fit for the cheapest kind of
| low comedy How it must amuse the i'm
mortal gallery gods when man attempts to
sustain the tragedy pitch in his experiences
II one can only get the true point of view,