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

ara apt to sco6 at women who take them
too seriously.''
what wonderful experience-what
sasacity !" said Hugh, with an attempt
1t retaliation.
"Yes, md more than that. they take
with most daftering seriousness the
women who sco6 at them
She held ont her hand-a white. ca
pabIe hand. the great opal shimmering
ON the little finger seeming to have inn
prismied the milky pink Of the evening
sky above them.
will you run in tonight?''
he wanted to go, but he hesitated,
and finally. on the plea Of work. re-
fused.
Work. work, work! 1t is more to
you than anything in the world. And
there was . touch of bitterness in the
cot. low tones. What is friendship or
the chatter of an idle woman compared
with it? And you are right. All, be
happy, my friend, that you have that
which can absorb you, to the exclusion
OF everything else. -
He went from her with the feeling
that he had left much unsaid. And vet
what could he say? She was an enigma
he was az yet powerless to solve.
As he walked up the path he saw Jen-
ny looking from the window. She
turned away abruptly, but not before he
saw she had been weeping.
Mrs. Larremore was one Of those
women who never shirk tears or their
traces. She let them roll in slow pro-
cession down her cheeks, and when they
blistered her nose and swelled her eye
lids she looked glad of it.
What was the use of being miserable
If all the world didn't know it: AS to
sobbing. she had reduced it to fine
art. Hugh often thought a great emo
tional actress had been lost in his wife,
the supply Of her lachrymal glands was
SO inexhaustible and responded SO easily
to her call
She was sobbing now as he entered
the house. He could not control the
slight smile that fingered for a second
on his lips as be went toward her, Won
dering if it were an i'll fitting gown this
time or if she had cut her bang too short.
whats the trouble, little woman?
Dear me, what quantity Of tears
What are they all about?''
With brisk sympathy he drew chair
to her side and laid his hand ON hers.
She pushed him away and lose, with an
attempt at intense scorn.
Matter enough! How dare you ask
me what's the matter? Oh! I wish
mamma were here!" And she COLLAPSED
again.
Any effect her words might have had
was spoiled by the intensely comic lus-
ter of her nose, and her pale eyes seemed
to have retreated into little pink caverns
under her brows.
Hugh looked at her helplessly. She
was enraged at something-but what
He could think Of nothing he had done
to warrant her reproaches and SO wait
ed in silence for the charge
Yes, You do well to say nothing
more" she cried ont suddenly. "Ask-
ing me what's the matter indeed Hugh
Larremore, do you think me blind?
Have no feelings as wife? Oh, it
didn't require Mrs. Elliston or Mrs
Mabie TO show me the turn affairs were
taking. l lave my private opinion of
some people, and knew how it would
be from the first.
did you:" asked Hugh, with in.
tense WEAKNESS, rising and walking a
little way from her. Then perhaps
you'll let me know too. What do you
mean? I am completely in the dark as
to what you are driving at.
A triumphant malice lit up Jenny e
eyes and she went close to him, her
small hands clinched
II mean that you are in love with
that girl next door, came slowly, fierce
ly from between Der quivering lips. II
mean that she's been leading you on.
What is she anyhow: We dom know
anything about her. But she's making
q fool Of you and jest Of me. You are
parading your infatuation to the whole
town. / won't stand it..
Then something in his look made her
draw back. She had been prepared for
denial, for ridicule, for anger, but not
for that deadly pallor that slowly set
tied on his face until it was like a mar
bic mask, not for that fire in his ewes
under which she felt herself grow hot
with shame.
"Well-well- isn't it true?' she
tremblingly asked. trying not to be
frightened.
Come here
He held out his hands with a gesture
she dared not disobcy. He drew her
close to him. and roughly, and looked in
to her abashed face.
lyon have said something il will be
hard for me to forgive"
Then his expression changed conyul-
sively, and he looked past her, an alb
rupt, angry laugh breaking from his
lips.
Its lie! There is not a vestipe OF
truth in it-a lie-do You hear?-a lier'
And he went away.
In his study. with the door closed up-
ON the world, hs SAT- DOWN at his desk
and tried to write. but it was impossi-
BILE. Tire place had grown sitting, his
heart was beating to the verge of suffo-
cation. and an unconquerabie desire to
get out under the sky, into space, light
and air made him seize his hat at last