Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-03

his eyes glued to that immovable blind,
had in imagination seen it thus fixed to
all eternity, and Mamie passing through
the successive stages Ct Blake IRE
lawnys unwilling sweetheart to his
willing one, and thence by slow degrees
TO the altar, where he finally took leave
Of her, and all because an innocent white
blind refused to go up at an unholy
hour Of the morning!
But was it all: A word in his ear
overnight from an old servant had set a
torch 10 his fears and bred in him the
first real doubts he had felt of Mamie
since he had left her.
| My lord, Trelawny is great deal
ut StraubenZee, the butler said when
giving the news of the country for
which his master had asked. Lady
Annabeila and Miss Gregorias had been
az home some weeks now" the old man
concluded, and il might be fancy, but
Will scented something significant and
even warning in his retainer's tone.
who had also added that there was to
be grand ball TO celebrate Lady Anna
bella's coming out in September, and
my lords sister, Lady Lirriper, was
coming to do the honors.
Will had plenty of time to digest
these facts, as at last, growing reckless,
he stood III the midst of the great gravel
sweep opposite the colonnade and i'm
mediately below Narnie's window,
needless Of early houseinaids and gar
deners, needless Of everything save the
moment when that hideous square of
white should give place to his deer lit
tie girls sweet face.
As the clock struck 3, it came Up
rushed the blind, the window followed,
and there, in her pink cotton frcck, was
Mamie, who stretched out her arms TO
him, all wild with joy, as if she would
precipitate herself bodily into his arms,
and for awhile they took their fill of
gazing at each other, while broken
words Of love fell from their lips. Then
the window yawned empty, and Will
rushed round in ecstasy to one of those
hooks in which the vast place aboanded
and by instinct told him she would
Join him.
She must have flown. He heard key
turn, and i'll Il moment they had rushed
into each others arms.
The hens with large families who had
made this half ruined colonnade their
special hunting ground wondered what
all the fuss was about and pursued their
daily avocatiCns with unrufried calm,
ehowinS satisfaction, however. when
the interlopers retired to sumptuously
painted and decorated room now used
by the gardeners for their odds and
l Il
tubs that touched and gazed at one an
You look much older, Will, and 60
brown"
And you are quite grown up, Nan
ME, and SO pretty! haven t seen girl
fit to tie your shoestring. You haven t
:een fiirting:' he added, taking her
face i'll his brown palm and scrutinizing
it narrowly.
Il haven't had a thought in my heart
you might not see," said Mamie stead
lily, though rush of color dyed her
face. I've been perfect nuisance tG
everybody with my lovestruck condition,
and pray. sir, have you had 10 thought,
no fancy, l may not know"
mot one,'' said Will soberly, truth.
fully. II didn't want to go away from
you. I'm eff my head with joy to get
back to you, and whenever did talk to
a woman it was about you
ooh, what treat for her" cried
Mamie, all her fears gone. He was here
and could shield his own.
"And Blake Trelawny," said Willie,
and the glory Of the hour was over, Il
hear he has been up here a good deal
suppose he has not got over it,"
The girls fresh face went wan in a
moment. She looked away and made nc
answer. A moment ago how sweet the
geranium leaves had been, how subtly
satisfying the blending of co!ors on the
opposite wall, and now Blake Trelawny
had spoiled it all.
Wills heart smote him.
my poor little love-" he said, "you
can't help the mans loving you so long
as you don't love him, I'm satisfied -
II hate him. she said very low,
II hate him-hate him. And now he
has spoiled our first hour together. 81
The slow tears formed and rolled mis-.
. erably down her cheeks.
my sweetheart - cried Will, hall
beside himself Don't cry. He can Z
spoil everything for us so long as we
love ore another rs we do, we do! Has
he been bullying you:' he added fierce.
" after a pause devoted to those imbe.
|, cilities that make the lovers heaven.
mo And you are not TO quarrel
with him, Will. If you do IL won
marry your'
But l shall make you. How about
this coming out ball when you'll imme
diately goin? Because we can t possibly
wait TO be married more than a month ~
Father wished it," said Mamie
Its a good deal Aunt Lirripers doing
, think. "
Gay old GIRL" said Will, bursting
ont laughing, "she is three years oldel
and wickeder than when l saw her last
and / should have thought that TO be
impossibler
Father wouldn't go to the sea thi:
year. said Mamie, whose worst enemy
. could not have twitted her with pale
chez ks now. Il think he was sorry hi
sent you away. though he never said So ;
| sHa bn - said Will