Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-02-09
GABR1EL'S MISTAKE.

Lefty Walsh as she examined the two SINAI
rooms comprising the deserted building Il
which the rustic picnic party had takel
shelter from sudden shower. .'Tucke,
away down in this hollow, why it's like bein.
out Of the worldl Oh, I'd like to keep, hpus
here"
Promise you'll keep house for me, too
won't you Letty" said Larry Underhill
laughing. from where he sat on n dilapidatet
table
And met. chorused all the young fellows
except one lsaning apart, who now turned q
dark and scowling face upon the rest
Lefty blushed as she glanced toward him
and answered evasively, "But there ism
room for all of you"
Make your choice, Lefty" said Uuderhill
gravely. "Shut your eyes, turn round three
times, and stretch out your right hand
The girl laughingly obeyed, and, whether
by accident or design, put her hand In that
OF the dark young man standing alone. HI
grasped IL firmly, with sudden smile like
Sunshine on his lowering face, and forced her
TO remain there with him, facing them all.
''Bravol" cried Underhill, You're In luck
Dallas Now, just stand still while make 9
sketch Of you both"
But Gabriel Dallas face darkened again
mo" he answered, ''some other time, Mr.
Cnderhill"
Steve Thatcher gave coarse gufPaw
You needn't mind if it's about Lefty, Gabe
for he's got a whole cargo o. pictures of her
hain't you, Mr.. Underhillr
Gabriel Dallas looked like an Italian pic
ture and Steve Thatcher like a clown, and
perhaps Underhill's appreciation of this
rather than Stoves evident desire to irritate
Gabriel, made the young artist snub his lout-
ish questioner.
Il don't know precisely what you mean by
cargo" he said, superciliously, but gen
orally tot down anything which strikes me.
In that way hope to preserve the remem-
brance OF your own picturesque figure, Mr..
Thatcher"
There was a laugh at this, for Steve was
long, tank and ungainly. Hecolored angrily
now, but, not being able to answer Under
hilis mockery in kind, was silent Presently
It ceased raining, and they all went out into
the open air again, Lefty still with Gabriel
Dallas.
Lefty had come to Stonybank the previous
spring with family named Barton, to whom
she was kind Of adopted daughter. They
themselves were shiftless, ne'er do well peo-
pie, not thought of much account In Stony
bank But Lefty was not like them. And
then she was so bright, so winning, and SO
exceedingly pretty that before she had been
long In the village she was its acknowledged
belle. Gabriel was supposed to be the favored
lover, but they had been kept apart by his
moody Jealousy, which, once aroused,
amounted TO n positive passion. making him
suspicious, unreasonable and obstinate
Gabriel came naturally by these Jealous in
stincts. Old Lawyer Fernald, down at Stony
bank Corner, who has living record of all
the country history round about, said that
the young fellow was descended from q
French or Spanish sailor, Manuel Daloz by
name, who had wandered to Rockport, the
nearest seaboard town, and from there to
Stonybank, where the local usage converted
Daloz into Dallas Gabriel, the latest de-
scendant, possessed that peculiar family tenn
permanent which had marked Manuel Daloz.
the wsnderer from the hills of southern
France.
Gabriel had a good farm, he was sober and
industrious and, when not in one of his dark
moods, open and kindly He was strikingly
handsome, too, with his black, liquid eyes,
his clustering, tawny hair, and the warm
toned bronze Of his complexion. He might
almost have his pick among the village girls,
but no one had seemed to make any real i'm
preston on him until he fell in love at first
nght with Lefty Walsh, with whom, how
ever, his jealousy had prevented definite
understanding till the day when the girl laid
her hand In his, down there in the old house
In the hollow
They were married after a very short en-
gagement The Bartons, like true rolling
stones, were about to leave Stonybank for
some place in the far west, SO the wedding
Nr.<Hlr r.la LolN.
bank was there, besides good part of ''the
Corner, the families Of which mostly repre-
sented . much higher social grade Among
those who came was Lawyer Fernald, with
whom Gabriel was a favorite, and his grand
daughter Cora, a young lady who had been
finished" In city boarding school. The
other guests were not surprised to see how
much attention Larry paid to pretty Cora
He was considered a mark above most Of the
village befes-although Lefty had sometimes
bean rallied about him-so they did not mind
hisdevoting himself to Miss Fernald, who also
moved In a range beyond their own. Lefty
herself was really the prettiest girl In the
room, and her deep blue eyes, with their
shading OF curling black hair and lashes, her
bright complexion and soft sweet look con-
trasted effectively with Gabriel's intenser
southern beauty. So thought Underhill a.
his eyes fingered On them. The young artist
was an old acquaintance of Lettys, having
boarded with the Bartons the summer before
they came to Stonybank. Careless easy go
ing and rejecting, he led a wandering life in
pursuit Of his art, but, being independent OF
II, he was not forced to continued exertion.
% that his painting WINS like himself, u thing
Of beginnings and caprices.
The weeks went by, the Bartons had long
bean gone, and still Larry Uuderhill stayed
on In Stonybank, driving, walking and
sketching with Cora Fernald He did not
Leave the place until near November, and
then 1t was reported that she had had letter
from him.
"Whatd l tell you that night at Gabes
weddingf' sagely remarked Eben Wrentham.
"And since then I've seen him, many's the
time. trampin' the woods after leaves and
things for her"
Stove Thatcher gave a coarse laugh. ''Did
ye ever watch ground sparrer try to get
you OF the track of its nesti tn keep fut-
term round q tree stump as II there warn't
anything on this earth il cared about but that
particular spot"
"You mean the Fernald girls tho tree
stumpr
AOW ~ ou bCi LIZ, W hho bhhe Vuts
answered Steve, mockingly.
"But where's the nest, Stever asked Eben,
looking puzzled
Steve turned his head, and look Of con-
sternation came over his heavy face as he
saw that Gabriel Dallas was listening. 81
must be goin' home" he said, abruptly. 81
amt got no more time to fool round here"
and he started up the road.
Gabriel Joined him. For time they walked
on In silence, Steve seeming constrained and
uneasy. Finally Gabriel spoke.
''Steve, he said, ''what did you mean by
what you said to Eb--about Miss Ferualdf'
"Oh, don't know; just some of me an
Eds foolin', guess, answered Steve evasive-
ly, looking asl;ance at the set face that belied
the quiet words