Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-12-04
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
The Joy of Returning.

L =.
drift down the stream Il Bit
obeyed willingly. for it was n warm
day. ard 1 realized after an hours
steady rowing That the charms of the
riverside could be better appreciated
when the hands were idle. Leaning
back i'm my cushions. l listened to the
drone of the bees and the musical lap
ping Of the water against the sides or
the boat. watching meanwhile the va
rying expressions which fitted over
my companions face.
How sweet and peaceful it all is
here" she half unused. "Just a day for
condolences. Fell me. Rose. have L
ever kept secret from you?"
Not to my knowledge" l returned.
well. there is one big secret which
/ have always kept locked up in my
own heart. the only one. 1 think. that
ever refrained from coniidinG to you.
l am going To tell YOU IT now. How
long is it since first came to live with
you
Two years." I answered somewhat
anxiously. land the happiest two years
of my life Don't say you are thinking
of leaving me yet awhile"
Ibid il never strike you as being n
strange thing for me to leave my home
and friends and come and bury myself
in the country like thisT'
Il thought perhaps" / began blum
deringly, that you might have had
some niment-that is
l broke off in some confusion. and
my friend looked al me intently from
t,,Iat. 10 Ior.s ft.iuuaI nt-alf1s
"You were quite right" she said. the
smile dying away from her mouth and
n shade passing over her face. You
thought there was man IL the case.
Well. there was"
Her voice sank as she made this con-
fession. and her eyes strayed away
over the water with the faraway eX-
preston which had become so famil-
iar. ] looked at her silently. desperate
ly curious, as only Il woman can be,
and yet not caring to put any question.
yes" she said softly. He was the
cause of my going away. 1 loved linn
too we'll to stay"
But why?" began impetuously. not
quite understanding this kind of affcc-
ton. Didn't he care for you:"
Yes" she said. That was the rea-
son why / went
"Was-was lie married?" 1 asked
nervously.
Yes" she said bitterly. Gle was
married, and TO vain. selfish. worth
less woman. Il woman who cared for
nothing but the Indulgence of her own
inordinate vanity. What he suffered
through her no one knows better than
4. -.
all his money. incurred debts which
were impossible to pay and altogether
made his life perfect misery, Rose,
Rose. there never was 4 greater curse
To man than Il bad wife"
THAT must have been hard for you
TO bear" l murmured sympathetically.
but not nearly so hard as for him."
"And do you think he loved you?"
al am sure of It," she returned. do
you think my life these two years
would nave been possible If l had not
known? 1t was that that gave me the
courage to go away and to keep away
all through those terrible long months"
and now 1 began anNiously,
staying the oars in their motion. in the
water.
She dabbled her hands In the water
before speaking.
And now" she said, ct am going to
see him again.
She saw the look OF panied surprise
which came upon my face. but did not
heed It. and went on talking as If to
herself
81 am going to meet him in the city
tomorrow. He will be at the station
when my train comes in. l haven't
seen him for two whole years-fOr two
whole years"
Then his wife is dead" made re-
mark
NO; she is not. Women Of that sort
do not die easily"
But demonstrated.
There are no butts about IT," she
cried almost angrily. 1--WE have suf-
fered enough. he and I. and we are go
Ing to pretend that the other woman is
dead. We are going TO forget all the
misery of the past. He is going to take
me abroad. and we are going to start
life over again. 1t is the thought of
this which has kept me alive these
years"
"You are very foolish girl" ! said.
with some emotion. DO you think
happiness will come Mt such cost?
Think over it all again or you will re
pent it bitterly. You have had courage
enough to keep away SO long. don't
spoil it all now. I am pleading now for
his sake and yours"
She shook her head obstinately. and
her eyes shone with light which was
truly maddening TO me. Knowing her
as | did, this weakening change in her
character surprised me more than L
dared to own. ] looked at her silently
and met her glance of cdd defiance
with a sorrowful thought of what she
had been to me for the last two years.
Then found my voice.
But she did not heed entreaties and |
sat half smiling to herself as she play |
ed with the steering ropes.
1--WE are willing to risk everything" |