Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-10-01
The Daily Short Story:
Her ouaIms of Conscience.

4 landed Ut Plymoutn yesterday, ana
here anaP'
There was an appreciable pause;
then she said softly:
"Ah-h, IL have been here all the
time
What do you say to a sea voyage?
Wouldn't 1t bring back your roses in
double quick time?"
"a sea vt,yage?' she echoed vague
~. 81 don't think quite
Look hei7e!' he said awkwardly, but
persuasivel.J. "I've settled it all, sub
ject to yortr approval. When we're
married-ehP Now 1 want you to tell
me when we, can start"
when wetcan'-
"Start. YtIu understand? How soon
will you john me in town and-and so
| to church with me?'
| They haltCId in their walk, and he
took possessi bn of her hands.
Come" hes said. There's no posi-
BILE reason for delay. We have waited
long. Let us Hose no more time"
She releasCEl her hands gently, but
determinedly.A
my dear,"l she said, 81 have some
thing to tell yyOu."
"Well?" he questioned. with a dis
tinct suggest ON of impotence.
"AlI this tIme. and indeed it has
seemed very. very long, have had
nothing to do but think. The first
thing realized was that / was free
| free to love you as much as L could.
Perhaps a man cannot quite under
| stand what tlsat means for u woman.
1 tried not tot think of my past life
my life with him. You know the blot,
the sin upon it. 1 fell short in my duty
and my faith4 and 1 despise myself.
| So must you."f
| She spoke deliberately. as was her
| habit. and very low, with her hands
| tightly claspe,I.
| Dearest" he assured her, you are
| like all womeIE'-
| ooh, no, Some of them are good. /
| have been weG.k and wicked. Perhaps
/ L was tried too far. 1 used to say so
in the days wlben made excuses for
myself
Its over and\ done with" said the
man dOggedly. why rake it up
i again?'
Eyes. 1 felt theluselessness of doing
| so, and turned my thoughts to the
| future"
| ooh. sweetheart
"There saw my salvation"
"Of course"
But not in theIway you mean"
'In what wayf"
81 should notAhave allowed you to
come back" she lsaid wistfully. "Will
you forgive meg
You speak in riddles"
81 must send tyou away" she said.
meeting his gazeN for the first time and
1 without fiinchinE-
He burst into a laugh of genuine
amusement.
Don't make it iharder for me than
| It is already" sheisaid, her lip CULVER
| ing irrepressibly. Il am in earnest
| indeed. For how can L allow myself
| to marry you'll, a creature of no &C
| count now, whose name has been ban
/ died about as n common thing, and
| deservedly? Oh, one can't pretend to
the contrary"
| whats all this?" he asked. his
mouth twisted into the semblance of
smile under his short, dark mus
| tache.
You must admit that all 1 say is
| true. 1 am not,a fit woman to become
n wife again.
"You mean" he said, chat you
don't care for me any longer
In the night, which had at last fallen,
| the outline of his face looked sickly;
| his voice shook.
"Oh,'' she said, you know that isn't
so. But feel 1 can't, L mustn't mar
ry you. 1 have fallen low enough.
Still, have only injured myself, for
he is well rid of me. 1 needn't injure
any one else"
II would very much like to know"
he said grimly, "if you ever cared for
me?"
'It was my excuse, wasn't itT'
"And you wish me to leave?"
She put up her hands to her face.
''Have you thought it carefully
| over?" he went on in a steady. matter
of fact voice. You staked and lost
everything for my sake, you said. and
| it has cost me something too. Not that
L reproach you, for, by heaven, 1 do
love your
"You will soon get over that, almost
as soon as If 1 married you. and then
you will see that L was right and per-
| haps be grateful to me-
lis that alp
"Yes."
"YOu are quite decidedY'
Quite
81 had better say goodby at once"
"Goodby."
I'VE are not likely to meet again in
| a hurry, are wei"
NO." admitted the woman.
She held out her hands as IL by an
| impulse. and he Immediately took pos
session Of them.
"Your cheeks are wet" he said.
"Are they?'
Poor pale little facet Poor lonely
little woman! Here" He produced a