Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-10-06

alone with his sister Ellen she intro
duced grave topic. Nevertheless she
tried to make her remark Seem a Casual
one
Julian. do You know how DR.. La
mar came to be engaged?''
Maxey looked at her with apprehen-
sion. He hesitated q little before he
made his reply.
Not from his own lips, Ellen. 1 un.
derstand in general way that it is q
FAMILY affair. OF course you know that
The Widow Forsythe is very rich. She
Is understood to be very much in love
With Lamar, and his mother, who is
very anxious for her SON. S advancement.
has set her heart upon it Exactly how
1t came about no one knows. We know
that Eustace was at Newport with her
last summer, and that the pledges were
passed toward the close of the season.
But what is the use of repeating idle
talk! l only know what people say,
which Is very poor authority"
What do people say, Julian?''
Oh, you want that, too even when
1t may not be true? Well, remembering
that 1t Is rumor-scandal perhaps is a
better word for 1.-THE story is told to
me that this Mrs. Forsythe, whose hus-
band died while she was yet very Young
and left her with two-thirds of his i'm
mense fortune, has always used her
great powers of fascination to break
hearts. That has been her chief source
of amusement and delight for years. The
story is that Lamar was madly in love
with her before she married Mr.. For.
sythe, but that she rejected him to make
a wealthy alliance with that physical
monstrosity. This last summer they met
again after separation of years. She
showed him unusual favors and did her
utmost to win him back 1t is said that
he resisted all her advances, but that
she finally triumphed by somehow en-
ticing his mother on her side. That
might be easily so with a vain and
worldly woman like Mrs. Lamar. They
go on to say that this Mrs Lamar hint
ed and pleaded and argued with her son
until finally, to rid himself of pcrsecu-
ton, never dreaming that she would
accept him. he SO far forgot his dignity
es to ask Mrs Forsythe one evening II
she had ever had cause to regret the lit
tie No she had once given him. She
told him Yes with a warmth and fer
vor that took his breath away, and he
had committed himself before he knew
it,
Just as I heard it, Julian. Was it not
also. said that this second proposal was
n mockery, so coldly and contemptuous-
~ framed that any woman with a spark
of self respect would have taken it as
an insult:'
Miss Maxey spoke vehemently, with
bright red spot in either cheek. The
artist moved uneasily in his chair.
You know, Ellen, of how little value
this gossip is.
Let us not deceive ourselves, Julian.
The gossip, as you call it, comes most
directly. I need hardly remind you that
!. have friend who knows this Forsythe
woman, who was with her last summer
at Newport, and who has seen something
Of her since
"Indeed!'' cried Maxey ''This is news
60 me. 1 did not know it. Neither do !
know Mrs. Forsythe.
Said Ellen earnestly: Julian, 1 know
of her. know that she has terrible,
ungovernable temper. do not believe
she is good woman. She would make
Lamar wretched, more wretched than
he is now. This match must be broken
off. Yes, Julian, it is no longer useful
to disguise the truth, even if we could
DIR. Lamar neglects his business. He
neglects it TO come here. He no longer
cares to he first in his profession as he
used. His reputation as a physician is
in danger. You have heard as well as
! that he has refused to take important
cases, cases which it was in every way
for his interest to take. You know it
and cannot deny the reasons. This wo-
man has him in her clutches, and from
q false sense of honor, most creditable
to himself, he refuses to break away
This is the plain truth, as you know,
and ! say again this match must be
broken Off,
Every word of this had its effect.
Maxey knew too we'll its force and its
truth. There was no doubt that the phil
osophic physician had undergone q
change in the past few months, and there
was also good reason to believe that Miss
Maxcy had named the cause. But what
could the artist do? He replied ut last
hesitatingly:
Suppose I say yes, heartily yes, to
all that you have said, what then? do
not doubt the ACCESSIBILITY Of breaking
OF the match. but how"
"Who could do it better than your
self, Julian?'
"Youv' Maxey spoke bluntly, but Sc
riously.
Ellen flashed startled, apprehensive
glance at her brother.
You are not treating serious mat
ter seriously. DR.. Lamar has been very
kind to us. We have no right to let him
go blindfolded to fate worse than
death. You are his nearest friend You
will, you must warn himr"
my dear sister, have warned him
and pleaded with him. How does he take
it? He simply becomes angry, makes an