Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-03
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excusing herself to the company she
permitted him to lead her into the next
room, where she sat beside him Oh the
sofa, to which he invited her with q
motion. After brief silence, during
which each thought intently, he began
Miss Dora, l wish you to listen to
me, if you please, to the end. I think
you know that love you" He paused
just a moment, while she trembled
slightly, blushed, and dropped her head.
He continued: 81 have never told you
this before in words, I know, but you
| are woman and must have read my
heart long ago. You are all so clever at
that sort Of thing. I am only man,
and have not Teen able to read yours
at all. really do not know whether
you care for ne Or not. Once thought
ter. will not go into that. In brief,
then, I have only to say that it would
make me supremely happy to know that
you would some day be my wife. In ex-
change l offer you a lifelong devotion.
And now-I think-that is all 1 have
to say. Dora-little sweetheart-do
you, could you trust yourself to me?''
He had gently taken her hand while
he spoke, ard the fact that she had nei-
ther resisted nor withdrawn it had en-
cOuraged him to the more affectionate
terms which he used at the end of his
love speech. She hesitated awhile, then
gently disengaging her hand and look
ing at him with just a suspicion of a
tear in her eye she said almost in
whisper:
"Do you care very much?'
VERY much! 1 cannot tell you how
much" He tried to recapture her hand,
but she eluded him. Again she asked a
question:
Money is net an object to you in
this?'
Miss Remsen, you insult me-"
mo, no!' she said quickly "Eou
misunderstood. I did not mean my
money. I can't explain, yet you must
answer my question. Would you mind
if-oh, how shall say it? Suppose
did something that cost you lot of
| money
con, see." exclaimed MIR. Ran
dolph, frightening up. "You mean you
are extravaganza. Don't let that bother
You minute. You may cost me as
much money as you can possibly spend.
will never complain.
She seemed much relieved, but she
did not speak at once. Her eyes wan
dered away from him, and following
her gaze he saw them reach and rest
upon Mr.. TLauret. A jealous pang dart
ed through his heart. He was about to
speak when she turned to him and said
| with suppressed emotion:
II hope you will not be angry with
ue and that you will not think evil of
,ne. There is something l cannot ex-
plain, yet which. if 1 could, you would
not object TO. But until I can tell YOU
about it canrot-I cannot-give YOU
PHI answer. Would you-would you be
willing to wait:'' There was a tone of
entreaty in her voice.
"How long," asked Mr.. Randolph,
still irritated, and wondering il tho
something which she could not tell was
III any way connected with Mr.. Thaurot.
| Would you mind-if l asked you to
walt tili-Well, say the lew year,
THAT Is long time, but if it is your
will, l must
ION, thank you!'' That was all she
said. but there was q hint OF rapture in
her speech, there were tears in her eyes.
and fer enc brief ecstatic moment he
thought that there was love in her
heart, and thai that love was for him.
With an impulse that he could not con-
troll, 81 j s-.iich size did not check, he
drew her 10 him and softly touched her
| lips with his own. lie felt satisfied,
though she left him Immediately ard
went at once TO Mr.. Thauret, whc greet
cd her with eyideat warmth There is
something, magnetism, If you please,
but a something that binds two true
lovers hearts SO that an impulse in the
one eycites an answering sensation in
| the other. The oldest fact III this con.
ncction is that, though one may fancy
himself deeply III love, lie is not till he
has received one Of these instantaneous
messages which Cupid ticks over love-
telegraph. After that he is enslayed.
Els better Judgment is gone. He will
argue in the lonely hours of the nigh;
that he has made a mistake, that the
woman is not destined to make him
happy, that she has this, that or the
other fault, but it counts for nothing
save that he suffers. That one stab has
slain his manhood, and he cannot con.
troll his actions. As soon as he meets
the woman again, act as she may, his
love is ai.ame once more. She may III
treat him. she may ignore him, it mat.
ters not; she attracts him.
Thus it was with poor Mr.. Randolph.
Throughout the many weeks that fol.
lowed he suffered much. He called his
love all the unpleasant things that jeal
ousy could suggest. But invariably the
recollection Of that one moment, when
she had seemed in that indistinct, indie.
scribable way to have yielded her whole
self, her whole soul 10 him, would fash
across his mind, and at once his reason
was silenced, and he would say:
"She could not have done that if she
were false. She loves me, but there il
something that I do not understand
which makes her treat me so. She told
me so, and said that when she could tel
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