Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-08

around Fort Ryan the following after
noon that Mr.. Hearn had taken the first
train and gone after the regiment early
that morning people We're somewhat
surprised. Along toward sun set the Ia
dies began to think it time somebody
went to call at the Lanes and see why it
was that neither Mrs Lane nor Miss
Marshall had been abroad during the
day. Incidentally, too, it might be pos
sible to find out whether congratula-
lions We're in order. Nobody could &C
count for the sudden departure of the
lieutenant. Kenyon knew of it of course,
but to all questions would only reply, as
though in surprise:
| 500? Why, of course he went, What
else would you expect of man like
Hearn? He was all ready to join his
regiment-why shouldn't he gog"
Still, as Mr.. Hearr had not 81 id word
about going, even when questioned the
| night before, every woman at Ryan felt
sure there was some sudden reason, and
| equally sure that Miss Marshall, if she
only would, could tell it. Very proba-,
| bly, the first callers fully expected to be
| told that Miss Marshall was not well
| and begged to be excused That would
have settled the matter to their entire
satisfaction. But, on the contrary, Miss
Marshall, looking every bit as fresh and
cool and animated as ever, came trip
ping lightly down the stairs the moment
I they were announced. She perfectly
well knew that they would lie coming,
and was fully prepared to meet them.
| She had heard, too, of Mr.. Hearn's sud-
| den departure; "a brief note had come to
Mrs. Lane early in the morning. over
! WHICH that bonny matron had had a
good cry. The visitors only succeeded
| in finding Miss Marshall rs brilliant and
entertaining rs ever, but more provok-
ingly inscrutable. 1t was impossible
| to determine from her manner of speak
ing of Mr.. Hearn and his departure
, whether there was an engagement or
| not.
Nor was any one 4 whit wiser at the
end of the week. IF she Is engaged to
him." said the danes and danlsels. ''she
is receiving rather too much attention
from the major, who lets no day go by
without its call, and the calls are grow
ing longer"
Mabel Lane. who had looked pale for
day or two, was blithe and sunshiny
as ever, so far as Ryan society could
judge, and in the absence of any local
sensation some people were disposed to
regard the situation as dec dedly dis
heartening. No woman rests content
who suspects an engagement and cannot
prove it.
Letters from the regiment gave no
| claw T 20 Ill
| another thing that made him culpable in
the eyes of lords less uxoriou5-and she
was bcsieged by the other wives with
| questions as to what was goir on in the
| field. But what he wrote her of Hearn
she would tell no one, not even Georgia
who never asked.
1T has been hard ordeal for Hearn,
as any one can see." wrote tie captain.
He has aged and changed greatly. The
| youngsters had planned n sort of love
feast for him, but he begged them that
nothing of the kind be held, and he has
really stunned society since rejoining.
He claims that all his time is taken up
with his troop, and of course we are very
busy; but there is something behind it,
and l think you know
l
| 1t was her penance for breaking faith
with Georgia. The latter ha1 forbidden
that she should tell to any enc the fact
that Mr.. Hearn had indeed offered him
self and had been refused
But Lano learned it soon enough.
| From the moment Of his return to the
regiment tho young soldier spent most
of his time, when of duty, in the society
of the captain. and one night in the full
ness of his Borrowing heart he told his
friend of the bitter disappointment that
had come to him. He loved her deeply,
had asked her to be his wife, and she
had gently, even tearfully, but positive
ly, said no, it simply could not be. He
had begged her to give her reasons, and
she refused. She assured him of her
faith, respect and esteem, but pointed
out to him that in every way possible
since the trial she had striven to avert
| the declaration which she frankly con-
fessed she could not but foreaee. He was
forced to admit this, and could no
longer press her for reasons, since she
had plainly discouraged his suit. Yet it
was hard-very hard.
Lane simply could not understand.
sis there any one else?" he wrote to Ma
bel. and Mabel said she was sure there
was not; but she was equally sure Geor-
| gia meant no. Mabel herself was even
more perplexed than the captain, since
Georgia had gently but resolutely for
hidden any further mention of the sub
| ject between them. And now, with the
utter inconsistency of her sex, pretty
AIRS Lane was all eagerness to discover
| eud demolish the barrier % match