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

NU
who has been hsrcf''
ly to get the better of his discretion was
at its height He began to tell her i'm
pulsively, passionately, before he fully
realized it
She turned so white and speeches.
that his heart almost ceased beating.
The thought that he had at last uttered
the irrevocable, fatal words came to
him too late to prevent the utterance of
his hope and his longing, but not too
late to make the flow Of his eloquence
tremble and die on his lips He became
as mute rs she and almost as pale For
a moment they stood close together by
the window. in the fading light from
the western sky, looking into each 9th.
er's eyes with a mutual terror
Il have frightened you," STAN.
mered Maxey
An undeniable fact, but it was all the
artist could think to say ut that mo-
ment.
Still he could not stand inactive. he
sought to take the dainty hand which
timidly shrank from the contact. He
grew more persistent when he encouu-
tered opposition and concentrated all hls
energies on the capturing Of the trem-
bling member. In another moment it
was his. Then, with a sudden boldness
which astonished even himself, he drew
her close, close TO him
He felt her startled heart beating, q
IL it would break, next to his The un-
seen hand raped upon the window, but
it had no longer any interest or any ter.
TOR for them.
''Oh, Mr.. Maxey, let me gor'
mo; we must undertand each other
first. Tell me that am fool or q COW.
ard, and will"
She made him no reply. She strue-
gled little with her baby strength and
gave it up. She was very quiet
But still the frightened heart beat
wildly close to his. She had not spoken.
Softly the artist bent down to look
into her averted face. There was neither
anger nor tears there-only the paleneas
and the terror.
The two hearts were throbbing now
in unison. 1t was getting dark.
Annette. he whispered, call me q
cowardr'
She answered him at last in Q voice
that was SO low and hushed that il hard.
~ sounded natural:
Il have no right to tell o lie, and
have no right to mix my life with yours.
You are young. ambitious, rich, with q
future. have not-not even q name. d
mo; am not rich, Annette You are
mistaken, and. depend upon il, youz
name will be known some day, and IL
will be as good as mine. But what il
that to me? What if You really had nc
name? love you for yourself, Annette.
Tor what you arc. Annette, would you
place your happiness against so fiimsy q
matter as that il ] were nameless and
you loved meg'
"Suppose-suppoee some day the truth
about me should be known and 1t should
be-degrading?"
"Annette!"
"Ah, you have not thought Of thati
have. Oh, I have thought Of it often
when / awoke at night or when I even
dared to dream Of such great happiness
| as this''-
Her voice died away to quite . whis
per. But those low spoken words die
not escape Maxey's willing ear. They
thrilled through his whole being y
nothing had ever done before
"Ah, then you have dreamed Of thi,
happiness, Annette? You will not deny
it?'
She hung her head and became scar
let She said not . word Her very ID
lence was eloquent But the delightei
artist would not leave her modesty thil
refuge. BE felt . wild, delicious Joy Il
the knowledge that the radiant ittll
creature who hung upon his arm va
his body and soul, and the lmowledge
the certainty, was not enough. he thiut
ed to hear her say It. He persisted:
tell me. Annette. you love mel Z
Il not sop
The head sank lower still, and al
did not reply, but the dark hair move
slightly. A scarcely perceptible It'll
nod in the affirmative was al that Il
seemed willing to vouchaaSe him.
All at once she aroused herself On
sought once more to break the teude
bonds that held her. She fought 90 hard
she seemed 80 very much in earnest thu
4axey, terror stricken for The result
permitted her to 60 When Ghe va
free. she seemed about to leave him
but ct the very threshold Of he roou
she checked hesself with Vp66sp I'm