Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-20

Chatworth. She has gone to Queens
town today to fetch the mourning which
was ordered there. She will return to-
morrow. i'-Gwendoline Danes face
flushed slightly-''I had no idea that
you were young man, she said frankly
| Has your grandfather's will been
opened?'' asked Vincent.
mo. l preferred to wait till you
came"
| Won have shown me great deal OF
consideration-as one who deprives you
of part of your inheritance"
He rose as he said this, as a signal that
he was ready to bid Miss Dane good
night" She stood also. For a second
| they looked each other over. He was
wondering at her perfect grace, the
| faultless curves revealed by the clinging
folds of the short, shabby habit, the
delicate perfection of throat and ears,
the brilliant assurance of the large eyes
which looked unwaveringly into his
| own.
Il need friends more than money" she
said finally.
'And l." he returned lightly, may
say l need money more than friends.
Your want is the easier one TO supply"
She drew quick breath You do
need money" she asked intently
Badly" he returned smiling.
She put both hands out impulsively as
she had at their first meeting. And
am sure you need rest. Tomorrow we
will talk"
The dogs had risen as she did, and
c+oo1 uoriCI,S Of
The deaf mute, who it seemed to Vim
cent lurked IKE an Afrite invisible till
he was wanted, appeared with his far
ing candle. The young man took the
fine, nervy hand extended, and pressed
it ever so slightly.
y shall live for tomorrow, he said
with Tssthsey more e,allantry than he com,
monty INDUCED in.
Then, in his warm, quiet chamber,
with south rain dashing at intervals
against the pane, he lay awake only
long enough to wonder what sort of an
Arabian Night adventure was this
| which had befallen him, and to draw
dreamy contrast between this young
Vfrginian and the women of colder tints
and lesser curves and charter manners
the girls of his social set who gave him
| grudging waltzes and short tete-a- tetes,
and said to their mammals: 'Oh, don't
| be frightened! We know well enough
that Alex Vincent can't marry for ages
| to come"
Vincent looked from his window the
| following morning upon a scene which
remained long after in his memory. The
! April sunshine flooded the rolling coun-
! try. The grain was springing, the orch
ards in bloom. The lane through which
he had come last night had border of
/ magnolias just in bud. In the distance
the mountains rose in warm tints of pur-
pie and gray
He descended to the parlor. The break
fast table was laid, the windows wide
open, and in the flooding sunshine Miss
Dane and Miss Chatworth were exam
lining the black gowns in which the fam
lily were to be dressed for the dead mas
! ter.
Later came the lawyer from Queens
town and the old minister from Bar
more, and Gideon Danes last viii and
testament was solemnly unsealed and
! read aloud. Gideon Dane was a man of
substance. He owned broad. rich acres,
-four mills and herds of cattle Besides
he had numerous investments which
were duly described. And he gave and
bequeathed all these things to his next
of kin, Gwendoline Dane and Alex Vim
cent, with the hope that their ages be-
ing suited and their interests one, their
lives and destinies might be united >"
The lawyer read these words in a dis
tinct, formal tone, and paused There
was stir of sensation through the little
company, and Vincent and Gwendoline
were the only two who did not exchange
glances.
At noon there was a grand dinner
served. Soon after the guests mounted
their horses and rode away. Vincent
lighted cigar and strolled down the
lane under the budded magnolas The
secret was out. Old Gideon Dane had
chosen to provide a protector for his
heiress in this medieval fashion. They
had queer notions, these Southerners, re-
garding family Obligations
Turning, he saw Gwendoline and her
great white hound Blanche coming slow
ly toward him.
Would you like to see where grand
pa is buried?' she asked.
He assented. and was about to throw
away his cigar.
Don't throw it away" she said lit
tie nervously. Cant you treat me-
and she laughed shortly-"as if l were a
man; or at least as if you were under no
restraint in my presence"
NO" he SAID. Il cannot The cigar
is no sacrifice
But" she said, as he walked by her
side, I'VE have got to be quite frank
with each other, and we might as we'll
throw overheard as many formalities as
we can. Don't you think so?'
Possibly"
They walked on in silence, the dog
dropping her delicate pink nose within
Gwendolines palm