Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-07-02
THE MATCHM AKERS,
Continued from Second page


DoIIy Is geUJlng excited. she talks
very fast and not very low. Something
makes Bah shiver in her thin gown, but
she only draws her white shawl closer
around her and stands very still Right
there, leaning against the veranda in
the shade of the vines, could she but
have known 1t, so near that his out
stretched hand could touch hers if he
had tried, stands, also very silently, a
tall young man. He has not meant to
play the part of an eavesdropper, but
this childish chatter is amusing. 1t
may prove instructive.
do you s'pose I'd ever have that old
skinny Jones for brother-him"- The
emphasis is most emphatic 1t makes
Bob smile, ian do you s'pose for single
minute, Ducky Arnold, that Bah wants
me to have him? Well, guess know
q thing or two bout that. What'd she
want to cry for the other night when
that old Jones asked her to go to the
lawn party and that awful nice Mr..
Guy Brayton came and asked the same
thing when it was too late?
can what does she cry for most ev'ry
night? It's cuz he don't come eny more
| hear her, but when l ask her what's
the matter she says, oh, my head aches
go to sleep-don't bother me- Humph,
should think her head would ache. An
wait'n | tell You somethin else-only
don't you dare to breathe it to a soul.
Land! she'd be just wild if she knew l
knew bout it. Well, the other mornin
fore she walked up I saw the end of
picture sticllin out from under her pill
low, and when peeked at it whose do
you s'pose it was? Guess"
Bah brings her white teeth down rath-
er sharply over her under lip. She kicks
the toe of her pretty slipper restlessly
against the edge of the step Tomorrow
she will give this small sister a little
piece of her mind, but tonight-well,
what is the use of making a scene to-
night? Everything is said now that can
be said, and what is worse it is all true.
She actually comes quietly down step
to catch Ducky's answer.
mister Jones?" Ducky's voice is faint
and little doubtful, but her words win
u storm of scOrn.
mister Jones-Jones-Bald Jones?
Whyee, Ducky Arnold-well l guess it
wasn't. Don't l tell you my sister Bab's
dead gone on that handsome other one.
Guy-what's his name? Course she is.
Som |. But I'd like to know where she
keeps that picture daytimes. 1 never
saw it before"
Their voices fiutter off into a little
giggle as they rise to run away under
the trees. The fun is commencing. The
boys are sending up shower of Roman
candles.
Bah gives an involuntary sigh.
''Oh, dear she says; sob, dear me-"
And then such a strange thing hap
pens. Somebody comes up the steps two
at time. Somebody's hand is laid over
hers as it rests on the railing. Some
body's dear voice speaks.
us it true" he asks little huskily.
us it true, Bah, darling? L couldn't help
hearing. Do you care for me? love
You so. l have right to know"
But Bah doesn't say anything after
that one half startled ''ohr' What she
does is quite as expressive as words.
When he slips his arm around her she
lets it stay there and lifts her pretty
face contidingly up against his own.
Fizz, sizz, whizz! A long, fiery tailed
rocket shoots into the air and a great
mass Of red light flares up through the
darkness, illuminating everything with
its soft radiance.
Especially prominent for a moment
are those two figures upon the porch,
and most especially prominent is the tall
young mans right arm, where it is
thrown around the white shawl.
Yet in the excitement of looking for
the next display no one sees the little
tableau except one man, and as the
| light fades out he turns in his leisurely
walk up the path toward the house and
goes back-this time straight to the
gtrppt and citI-IUard