Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-23

him back. During the first week OF
their stay at the seashore together, be-
fore his engagement was announced,
Julia indeed made all the advances that
good taste permitted. And he-in re.
membrance of her past trifing jus,
sufficiently attentive to induce her to go
as far as she would. 1t was during this
skirmishing that Gwendoline's jealousy
had been aroused.
| Vincent took his way in leisurely
fashion over the sand dunes. He expect
ed to find Gwendoline in tears, to be pas
sionately reproached, eagerly forgiven,
and at last tenderly adored
| But Gwendoline was not in tears.
She stood upright in her black gown,
her arms hanging listless, her hat on the
rock at her feet, her face lifted in a sort
of mute appeal to the gray sky. Vincent
sauntered slowly along to her.
You make us both rather ridiculous. "
he said. I'VE northerners don't do
things in this high tragedy fashion.
| What is the matter"
She turned, and he quailed a little
the same sort of feeling he had had when
Blanche laid her firm white forepaws on
| his shoulders.
I'VE will not be ridiculous any
more" she said. ''Our engagement is
at an end, Mr. Vincent"
You are hasty, Gwendoline, and alb
surdly jealous. You are jealous if look
at another woman"
Il suppose l am jealous, as you say
| she replied quietly. Love means so
| much to Inc. l can't conceive it except
| as entire, except as complete. These
fragments of fiirtation-but I'll not talk.
You love your own vanity more than
| you do me. | was stranger here and
in your power. There was a rumor that
you were marrying me for money. You
did not take the trouble to let your con-
duct contradict it. You exulted in ex-
hlbiting your power over-more than
one woman. Well, leave you-to the
other one. l couldn't take half a heart.
l have loved you'll love you. But l am
too exacting to take the return you offer.
will go back-to my dogs
She frightened him little for the first
time.
Upon my soul, Gwendoline, l love
You alone"
You permit Miss Marquand to make
fun of me. You half encourage her.
Very well, let us leave Miss Mar
quand's society. Let Us go to the mount
| ains-anywhere away from here"
Run away from rival! If it came
to that. would rather
What
mo matter. l should shock You if l
said it. | don't care to shock You. But
will never be cowed into submission
as cowed poor Blanche. You remem-
Der she was jealous"
This is trifing talk What can l do
to suit you:"
Nothing more-that you are willing
to do
80 be it. then" he said angrily. You
are wholly unreasonable. l accept Your
release"
He turned away. He did not see poor
Gwendolines lifted hands of entreatv.
nor hear her faint cry TO him to return.
HE was only stormy hearted child
after all, undisciplined, spoiled. and she
loved him with all the might of her rich
nature. He had tried her unfairly. He
knew all this, and might have forborne
with her.
But Vincent had cold. selfish vein in
his nature which her love had not vet
reached down to. He was indeed very
fond of Gwendoline. but he had decided
hat the forbearance must be on her side.
He had momentary pang of doubt as
to how truly she meant what she said,
but he was pretty sure she would come
around
An hour Later Gwendo!ine, walking
YEARLY along the hot sands, saw Julia
Maryland and Alex Vincent standing
hand in hand, waiting to take the cool
blue breaker that was slowly rolling to-
ward them
He has gone back to her-so easily"
was Gwendoline's choking thought.
She went to her room and sat think
ing. Miss Chatworth was a mere tame
cat" not to be thought of as source of
counsel. Gwendoline had to settle the
problem for herself. She felt herself
grow old and staid. She felt that it was
for her, first Of all. to sustain her dig
nifty. She had broken her engagement
in peremptory fashion. But she must
not act childishly. Alex had accused
LII Va oopJCNbLlS W
She must hold her impulses in restraint
and behave as beftted proud old Gideon
Danes granddaughter. Perhaps Alex
would help her to make this termination
of their dream as dignifed and incon-
spicuous as might be. She would, not
fy-like some crushed, defeated Great
ure. She would carry herself calmly,
tell some smooth lie, as others did, about
important business calling her suddenly
back to Virginia, and then in day or
two she would leave, the sooner the bet
ter, heaven knew-would fly fast as
steam could bear her back to her mount
ains-to Blanche-to her solitude and
her miserable memories.
She did not go down to dinner. but
before tea time, carefully dressed in rich
black lace, with the Dane diamonds,
which she had not worn before. around