Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-20
GWEND0LINE DIME.
By Mrs. W. q. PALMER.


Mr.. Vincent was a handsome young
eyes and mustache. He wore a light
gray overcoat and derby hat; he had
dandelion in his buttonhole and carried
a cane There was general air of Ian
guor and disaffection about him this
morning. What earthly use was there,
he wondered, in taking the trouble to
come to his Office?
During nine months occupancy he
hadn't had a dozen clients In fact,
nothing ever came to the Office but bills
and book agents, and he would gladly
have avoided both. He was beginning
TO consider seriously what he was going
to do about it. For the present. how
ever, he did nothing but throw the win
dow up, and sitting down on the broad
sill gaze over the wide prospect that his
lofty height commanded. The wide blue
Charles, the low, misty hills, the thin
white clouds We're soothing. He sat and
thought about Miss Marquand's must
Gale, and dreaded to turn about and face
the perpetual problem of income and ex-
penses. His reverie was broken by the
abrupt opening Of the office door.
Dispatch for Alex Vincent. Thirty
cents charges, sung out the district mes
senger boy who confronted him as he
turned.
1t was with a feeling as near surprise
as our philosophical young LAWYER was
capable of that he tore open the yellow
envelope and read:
SlIideon Dane was buried YESTERDAY,
HIS, keirs will meet for consultation on
the 18th, You are requested to be pres
ent.n
Lae message was dated Queenstown,
Va and signed "Gwendoline Dane"
Who, then, speculated young Vincent,
was Gideon Dane, and who were his
heirs? His grandmother, who had died
before his remembrance, was, as he re-
called, Virgiaian, and her name was
Dane. This Gideon Dane might have
been her relative. He went 6ut ana
telegraphed at the end Of an hob,'s cogi-
tation for further information. Am
one of Gideon Danes heirs?' and during
the day he received the brief answer,
you are with the same signature as
before.
1t was about the middle of the after
noon on the 18th that Alex Vincent
found himself at the end of his long and
rather stupid journey. He had come
over single track road, by a slow train,
in a common car. Among his fellow
passengers the women were sallow and
the men slovenly. He had had bad
nights rest and a poor breakfast. 4
good many young fellows of Vincent's
age would have enjoyed the novelty and
adventure of the journey, but Vincent
was of a cool, fastidioUs temperament,
critical and fond of his comfort. Be-
fore leaving home he had taken the pre-
caution to visit an elderly aunt. his
mothers sister, who in response to his
inquiries could only tell him that as far
as she knew the Virginia Danes had
been ruined by the war, and that the
northern branch of the family had never
been able to get along with them, any
how.
They were hot tempered set" said
the old lady. with no manner of reason
or Judgment, according to our notions
But you'd better go on and see to what's
left, since they bid you"
Vincent, as has been said. was left
standing on the platform at Queenstown
and the train moved on. He was among
the mountains. in the midst of wild
and picturesque scene. A colored boy
whom he beckoned from a sunny door
step informed him that the Dane place
was good bit" distant, and that if he
would wait for him to borrow a fish line
he'd show him the road.
Were there no horses to be hired?n
The boy rolled his tongue in his cheek.
There might be mule cart
Vincent decided to start on foot. He
persuaded his guide to give up the fish
line scheme and carry his valise as a
more profitable investment, and then
together the two struck into the cool,
wide gorge already green with April
drapery, with rushing waterfalls foam
ing down the side of the mountain
around which they pursued their way.
Reckon Miss Gwen would a sawn't
for you sho, If she'd known YOU was
coming" remarked Vincents guide, as
the dark began to close about them and
the mountain fog to obscure the road.
Has she servants and horses?" in
! quired Vincent with irritation.
''La, yes" drawled the boy, lots
on EN-"
And is she a-young lady?" queried
our traveller
Didn't You know that" was the sur
prised reply.
Vincent walked on, rejecting upon
these items of information.
well, how much further have we got
to go:' he inquired at length, tired,
shivering in the cold white mist and
thinking of the condition of his boots.
Were right there, sah-here's the
lane" was the cheering response.
A few moments more and they saw the
lights of the house blinking through the
fog, and then through the windows the
rudy glow of freight. The house, as
Vincent could dimly distinguish, was
large, old fashioned, with wide We