Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-07
CHAPTER XXI.

Captain Dalrymple and Hagar were
walking up end down on the. grass, for
though nigh ON 10 o'clock the night was
still warm, and through the open French
windows might be seen the four whist
players, presently reduced to three, as
Blake Trelawny, who loathed cards,
sprang up, yowinS he would play no
more.
"Then send Dairy mple in, ;" cried La
dy Lirriper after him Grossly, but Blake
did nothing Of the sort he only took in a
great breath Of fresh, sweet air, as he
looked up at the stars and asked them
why was he ever born and to what end
they supposed he would come.
But they only winked at him in an
swer, Us if they knew lot Of things
they did not mean to tell him, and
presently his feet unconsciously took
him away from the little house whose
gables were already touched with the
vivid scarlet ca Virginia creeper till he
found himself outside the castle turrets,
on the side next the park. Some one
was walking there, and came swiftly to
him as if glad Of anything human in
the midst of such loneliness. 1t was
Mamie. Her little face looked ghostly
in the half light above her white gown,
and for u moment, believing her to be
miles away, he started, thinking that he
had conjured mp her wrath. 81 thought
you We're dining with Lady Llanaton,
he said, his face storner, darker than
usual i'll the effort to repress the joy he
felt at sight of her.
MY head ached," she said, lifting
her hand to her head YEARLY, slim,
girlish shape that somehow looked for
lofn and uncared for, like child alone
III the world, having lost itself and
knowing not where to turn.
''Have You dined:" he asked with
masculine common sense, and of course
found that she had not-tea is the inva-
riable panacea of woman in time Of
trouble, whereby she more than doubles
her ills.
'Then you'll come round to the cot
tage and get something TO eat" he said,
drawing her hand through his arm, and
though she protested and held back he
made her come, and entering the house
by side door established her in the
/
being any the wiser, and went to find
the butler, bi;.Gi,G him bring wine,
chicken-anything lie had got. land
You needn't disturb your Mistress" he
had added carelessly.
Then he put cushion behind her
back, a stool at her feet, pretended not
to see the misery on her face that pierced
him like a dagger, and when the food
came, with that celebrity which attended
all Blake's behests, he cut 1t up for her
and almost fed her, making her drink
also, SO that presently she laughed in a
way to make one weep and said:
''Eat the sop sop, Jenny.
Jenny, drink the wine.
Thank you, Robin, kindly
She stopped abruptly and put one
hand to her throat, as if to hold back
Jenny's sweet promise to Robin, and
Trelawny got mp and looked out CT the
window, for a man IS tears are blood and
distilled from his heart.
He had had no idea of the way things
were tending till tonight. He had not
seen her i'll Wills company save when
others were around, and she was almost
wildly gay. Her kindness to himself had
gone for nothing. She was simply re-
verting to her old attitude of trust to-
ward him, and with facile youth had
already forgotten the stormy interlude
Of his passion for her-forgotten and
forgiven it.
He was unaware Of her jealousy of
Ha2ar. The two seemed on good terms
L. II.
gave that young woman wide berth,
as he would any dangerous reptile, and
hated to think Of how he had once made
her his jackal
A servant came in to remove the sup
per things. When he had gone, Blake
squared his shoulders and came and sat
down by Mamie.
lyon children have been quarreling,"
he said kindly, land you think your
whole world is in ruins, and nothing
can ever be the same again, and it is
hard, it is bitter, the first quarrel. bUt
it has TO be got through, my child. and
you IL come out on the other side with
some of the glamour gone. but with more
comprehension of each other and nore
mercy for each others faults. That's
where you young people run so short
in mercy"
Mamie sat quite still ard silent.
Young as she was she needed no ore TO
tech her that & wife must never com
plain of her husband-least of all, to a
man who has once loved her.
And so You'll make it up," said
Blake, his vigorous vitality warming
her, though she did not know it, as with
strong, electric shocks Of hope and cour
age. He loves TO other woman, you no
other man. Why, then, when you have
the essentials. quarrel about trifes:"
He had himself entirely in hand. but
he was inwardly boiling with rage at
/, the folly or carelessness that had made