Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-03-16
AGATHE'S PERFIDY.

me, AgatheF
always, Bertrand"
"You will never regret your choice, my
darlingf Not even if some man richly en-
dowed with worldly goods come to seek your
favor; are you quite certainf'
Listen, Bertrand; such a love as mine Is
born not to live but for a day like gaudy but
terfy that gladdens the eye from SUN to sun
and is never seen again; nay, it is enduring
as yonder rock, pure as the blue ether above;
love that will only end with death and per-
chance not then. know that you are poor,
but what is that to met The united love of
two beings who are all in all to each other is
wealth enough. viii be true TO you though
all the world prove falsel"
And l to you, l swear it," solemnly re-
sponded Bertrand Argyle as he raised his
hand ON high as though lie would pluck one
OF the cleaning points of light that flashed
from the blue ether, above alluded to by
Agathe de Relic.
OF TO the west, where the sun but Just now
was but is no more, Its after glow suffuses
the cloud wreaths with varied tints Of purple
and gold and ruby red that are reflected upon
the ripping waters Of the lake below In
sheeny radiance. This Is not intended as q
reflection on the Jews, only on the lake, A
little TO the south OF west the gibbous moon
is humping itself Glbhous is a good word to
use, as few people know what it means Yon.
der, wearily vending his homeward wend
along the dusty way, is gibbous man. He,
too, is half full Softly the zephyrs sigh
through the tree tors and the bows nod
drowsily 10 one another, and from afar comes
the horny handed voice OF the honest
granger as he jaws his hired yeoman. From
a neighbor:ng swamp arises faint, misty,
vaporous fog, thckly studded with the ran
dom remarks OF male COW frog, delivered
In low, thrilling, reverherating voice.
II could stand here forever listening to the
sounds of nature with you at my side" re-
marks Bertrand at the conclusion Of the
pause above referred to.
Would you not fear catching cold II you
stood here foreverf" sho asks at length, shyly,
as though fearful that her words may give
ofSense
True, my love. l had not thought of
that"
Bertrand abstractedly inserts one hand In
one OF his trousers pockets and encounters a
dime. Il brings his thoughts to practical
turn He signs, like a man who has been
holding his breath while three men are on
bases. two out, aud the striker has two strikes
called on him
"Agathe, he begins in the low, determined
voice of one who feels his suspenders giving
way and endeavors TO hold on to his panta-
looms By sheer force OF viii, tomorrow
go forth to carve out fortune for N yself L I'D
for you. You will wait for me until return
with It, viii you not, deari"
Forever; but do you think it viii take you
very longf'
i cannot say; it may be years, it may h
more or loss, but with you to spur me on
know shall not fail And before / 60 take
this, 1t Is deed of tract Of land In Florida
made out in your name 1t may not be of
greatnr value than some other tracts that
have been handed me from time TO time by
well meaning persons and then again it may
1t cost me s.; keep it with my blessing"
''Oh, Bertrand, you are 50 good
Don't say anything about it, please l
would do even more for you. But SEQ, the
cleaning now has given way to gloom Of
nigl.t. IT'S long past supper time; / am
hungry, and so, no doubt. you arc. Allow
me now to guide your footsteps to your home,
even as hope soon to have the privilege Of
guiding them through life"
Thus they faded away in the gathering
gloom
lNf L.n,
"a year freighted with blessings and vicissi-
tudes and political conventions and-well,
with everything that constitutes the cargo
Of q well fraighted year, ON which man pays
the freight to Time, the general superintend-
eDt Of the Grand Trunk line TO eternity. But
this is only by the way.
A bearded, bronzed man, attire2 In good
clothes and an air of prosperity, bounds
buoyantly up the steps leading TO the front
door Of a charming villa and gives long,
strong pull at the bell knob
1t Is Bertrand, returned after a years toll
full carving at fortune.
domestic servant appears and ushers him
into the faultlessly furnished front parlor. A
female form In the full flush Of fair femininity
rises from the fauteui and looks at him with
a per-plexed, Lthink- MISUNDERSTANDING
of-me expression upon her regal features.
"Agathe, oan it be that you do not know
meT hs murmurs
Mr.. Argyle, believe, she replies askance
Bertrand steps forward with rapid stride
and seeks to seize the slender, jeweled hand
that Is half extended TO him "why are
you 80 distant, Agathe, my darlingi Have
you 50 soon forgotten our
Forgotten nothing, Mr.. Argyle" replies
Agaths, as she draws herself proudly erect;
but things have changed since then. You
remember the deed you gave me Of some
Florida landP'
i do, Miss De Relle," replies Bertrand,
who IL beginning to scent something gigantic
In the nice line
: well, Mr.. Argyle, q boom struck that
section Of Florida short time ago and sold
ont am worth quarter Of q million now.
and you cannot expect that would trust my
future with man whom l cannot but sus-
pect Of wishing to marry me only for the
money possess"
Bertrand listens like one who is SLOWLY
undergoing the process of pstrifactionI
Surely, you cannot mean thisr' he asks.
"You are only jesting; tell me this Is moth
ing but o ruel joke"
II never joke, and why should tell you
falsehoodf'
Then you wish that we should meet here
after as strangersr'
THAT is about the size Of my wish;
would gladly be sister to you, but fear
you might some time consider such relation
ship near enough to attempt to borrow money
ON the strength of it. Therefore, think it
better that we should go our respective
ways"