Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-23
around. looked at him warningly, be.

"What on earthS the matters! was all
the peiplexed and callow youth could
find to say, and in tone so utterly de-
void of romance, sentiment, tenderness
anything she wanted to hear-that In
all her .xperience-and she had had not
a little-pretty, bewitching little Mrs.
BeIknap could recall nothing so humil-
iating.
How can you be so unkind to me?"
at last she whispered, in the tragic
tremolo she well knew to be effective; it
had dor Q execution over and again. But
big. handsome Ned Perry looked only
like. ons in a maze; then he bent over
her in genuine concern:
"Why, Mrs. Belknap! What has hap
pened9 What has gone wrong? What
do you mean by unkindnessy'
She faced him, Indignantly now: lis
it possible you profess not to know"
"By ell that's holy, Mrs Belknap,
haven't an idea of what you mean to
charge me with. Tell me, and I'll make
every amend l know how"
He WIS bending over her in genuine
distress and trouble; he had no thought
but to assure her of his innocence of any
conscious wrong. She was leaning upon
the balcony rail. and he rested one strong
hand uI on the post at the shaded corner.
above her head, as he bowed his own to
catch her reply.
For q moment she turned her face
away, her bosom heaving, her little
hands clasping nervously, the picture of
wronged and Borrowing womanhood
His blunt, ragged honesty was some
thing shs had never yet had to deal with.
This indeed was "game worth the
candle" but something of higher order
than the threadbare fiirtations she had
found SC palatable heretofore. She had
expected him to be revealed by this time
as the admirer who had only been play
ing pa t in his apparent acceptance of
the stu alton of the last two days; she
expected to be accused of coquetting
with Dana, of neglect, GOODNESS, insult
tow ards himself; and this she would
have wclcomed; it would have shown
him still victim in her tolls, a mouse
she might Toy and play with indefinitely
before bpstowing the final coup de grace.
But instead of it, or anything like it,
here stood the tall, handsome young fell
low, utterly ignoring the possibility OF
her having wronged him, and only leg.
ging to be told how he had affronted her,
that he might make immediate amends.
1t was 81 nply exasperating. She turned
suddenly upon him, hiding her face in
her hands, almost sobbing:
And | thought we were such-such
friends"
Even that suggestive tentative did not
lay him PROSTATE. Fancy the utter in
adequacy of his responses:
why, SO did IT, This was too much
Down came the hands, and were laid in
frantic appeal upon his breast. He did
not bar the way; she could have Slipped
from the corner without difficulty, but
the other method was more dramatic.
Let me go, Mr.. Perry" she pleaded
I'll might have known; l might have
known" The accents were stltied, Leart
rending.
Don't so yet, Mrs. Belknap; don't &
without telling me what-what I've
DONE" And poor Ned imploringly seized
the little hands in both his and held then
| tight. please tell me-" he pleaded.
"No, mol You would not understand
you do not see what have to bear. Lei
me go. beg, please; l cannot stay
And her great dark eyes. swimming il
tears. were raised to his face, while with
fsint-very faint-struggles she strove
to pull her hands away, relenting in hei
purpose to go the moment she felt that
he was relaxing the hold in which they
were elias ped, but suddenly wrenching
them from his breast and darling from
| derment to face about and confront tbs
| doctor.
\ little opening had been left in the
/ railing at the south end OF the verHnja-
the same through which the post surgeon
had passed the night Mrs lawrence had
shown to Perry the answering sigma
| light; il was the doctors ''short cut" be
tween the coloners quarters and his own
side door, and soft, undertaking turf lay
there Oetw zen. Absorbed n her melo-
drama, Mrs.. Belknap had failed to note
the coming of the intruder; absorbed in
| his own SIT pefaction and his Iair part
ner's apparent depth of woe. Ned Perry
heard nothing but her soft words ans
softer sighs, until a deep voice at hin
shoulder voice whose accent betrayed
no apology gave utterance to this un
compromising sentiment:
Mrs. Belknap, this is the thirtieth-
not the firs.-of April"
"And what has that to do with youl
sudden appearance, DR.. Quinn" an
swered the lady, with smiling lips but
flashing eyes. Sine rallied from the shoch
of sudden volley like the veteran SIN,
was, and took the brunt of the fight or
her own white, cleaning shoulders
needing no aid from the young fellow
who stood there. flushed, annoyed, We
too perturbed to say a word even haC
there been { chance to get in one edge
wise. Blunt as he was, he could not bu
realize the swkwardness Of the situation
And to be So misjudged by such man a
DR.. Quinl All this was flashing through
his mind as the doctor answered:
Nothing with my appearance, Mrs
| Belknap; 1t was yours 1 remarked upon
You seemed to think it All Fools day"
Far from it. doctor, when l though
you miles away"
well, well, Mrs. Belknap," said Quin
Struggling his broad shoulders and laugh
ing at her undaunted pluck, ave know
you fifteen Years, and never have foun'
you at loss for sharp retort."
''In all the years you have known me
doctor. as child. as maid, as woman
you are the only man in the army VIII
ever put me on the defensive. / Sc
clearly that you would taunt me becaus
Of this interview with Mr.. Perry. Hon
soft qui NAL y pense, DR.. Quin! You ar
the last man in this garrison-cavalr
and all-who can afford to throw
stones"
"Whew-w-w!' whistled the doctor
what little spittre you always were
to be surel Mr.. Perry" said he, turnin
suddenly on the young officer, "let IN
at once apologize for a very misleadin
observation. When / spoke of havin
known Mrs. Belknap fifteen years sh
instantly thought meant to make he
out very III Ich older than she is; an