Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-16

81 thought so. They cut them beau
tifully there"
Were you ever in RomeT'
And the child she went on, with
out needing my question, "she really
prevented your becoming a-murderer?'
Would you have so regarded me:'
looked at her anxiously. Indeed there
was that in her manner, as well as her
words, which made me tremble.
Yes, and more she raised her eyes
and fixed them full upon mine: ga cow
ard"
Great heavens, How like the look of
tie face of Della in my dream of years
before.
And you have given up all expecta-
ton of ever seeing the child again." she
asked, turning her eyes from me to the
cameo.
Il scarcely know if l should wish to
meet her"
Why
Under an impulse of gratitude for
tho unknowing part she had taken in
| preventing my being a-murderer"-
And a coward" she interrupted.
And a coward" admitted, Il made
silly, sentimental VOW"
| What vow" she frowned.
That no other person should be my
wife; that l would seek her. and when
found, if ever. would win her
'Supposing that she would be willing
she added. not giving me time to finish
1t was plain that had antagonized her.
''Of course"
sWeIlS"
Since then"-1 looked out at the
ows, the gilded face of the rocks-"since
then have met one who has driven the
child image from my mind fear from
my heart"
We sat without speaking, each wait
ing for the other to break the silence.
You have spoiled pretty story" she
said somewhat sadly. You should have
been true to the little girl. How do Won
know but that she is treasuring the mate
to your pin?'
''sShe was too young"
''How old did you say?'
Seven, perhaps"
'Seven! That's not too young. Twas
impressed myself at that age"
May l ask, are you true to that i'm
preston
Size Resitated. Il have treasured an
ideal. But must go in" she added in
another moment, and rising she moved
toward a window opening on to the porch
from the drawing room.
Good night"
She stepped in at the window. As
she crossed the sill and entered the brill
iantly lighted room she turned. \
smile, frank, happy smile broke over
her face. 1t bespoke the merry side Of
her disposition; certain witchery that,
seen between moonlight and gaslight,
made me wonder for moment if she
were not veritable witch In another
monen she was gone.
That night l dreamed. was again
in tie park in Germany. 1t was night
the ''humida nox" of Virgil-a night
suggestive of cypress, of exuberant YER
dure, Of hanging bough and twisting
vine, all seen by the light of a waning
moon. The image of a former dream
walked beside me. The features of that
image had long ago faded from my mem
DRY. Now they We're the features of
Miss Ward.
Nv ould You kill him because you in
suited him? because you struck him."
The words came strangely, as out of a
dead past.
NO, no; viii kill no one l am no
longer a boy. l thank God l escaped
the dreadful result of that boyish folly
1t was You who taught me what is true
courage; teach me now what is love"
My dream haunted me all the next
day. sat on rock against which the
waves beat sluggishly. There was
something in the slow surging, the
broad stretch of ocean view, the clouds
chang ng their fantastic shapes, that es-
pecially accorded with the condition of
my mind. My meeting when a youth
with the little girl in Germany, the
transition from state of mind wherein
l considered the taking of human life
quite an exhilarating affair, to one day
later, wherein l was willing to risk my
own lie rather than defend it from my
antagonist, began to seem strange to
me. Then my vow-it had suddenly
become a menace. All these matters
kept passing and repassing while lis
tened TO the ever splashing waves.
That evening met Miss Ward again
l expected it would be my last evening
at the seashore that summer. We sat in
the mock where we had sat together so Of
ten before. Whether it was the prospect
of my departure or a suddenly impaired
knowledge of the condition of my feel
ings l 10 not know to this day, but the
spell that had been gathering about me
for weeks appeared suddenly intensified.
Without intention, without forethought,
led on, it seemed, by sort of fatality,
suddenly burst into a torrent of words
which l had never dreamed of speaking
when l Joined her. Ipoured out my feel
ings in a number of short, glowing SEN
fences sentences never could have
spoken had prepared to speak them.
well remember her first words after
l had ceased to speak. They conveyed
| 4 l. L