Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-07-25
DAILY SHORT STORY
The Bitter Bitten.
IOricinal.l


with her cousin, Marion browne.
But he knows things! replied Mar
ion.
What matters it if he does. He is
too bashful and reserved to tell what
he knows. There isn't girl In the
place who doesn't dread TO be left
alone with him"
Don't You think some of them might
overcome their aversion If he should
suddenly become wealthy
Il don't think / could stand him if
he were WORTH
/ was lying in a hammock IN the
back yard. reading. l got up and went
into the house. but as this scrap of
conversation occupied but few mo-
ments could not very well avoid hear
ing ii. To do myself Justice, l did not
wish to hear myself discussed. Kate
Harker's remarks We're intensely pain
full to me, SO painful that 1 resolved to
leave the place of my birth and go
forth into the great world, hoping to
forget them.
1 did not forget them, but had the
sensitlveness knocked out of me very
quickly. l made money. made 1t out
of nothing. and TO do this l was obliged
to master my feelings. "To those who
have shall be given" and by the death
of an aunt l inherited q fortune. l
owned the little tumbledown house
with the acre of ground about it IN
which l had lived with my mother,
and since she was no longer living L
resolved to go back and dispose of it.
The day after my arrival l rugged a
hammock In the back yard and lay
down in 1t with Il cigar and u book.
Pretty soon l heard voices over the
wall
"Have you seen him?"
Yes; 1 was peeping through the
blinds when he came"
l recognized the first voice as that of
Marion, the second rs that of Kate.
This was all heard, for the two girls
passed out of hearing.
In the evening l called on my neigh
Dor. Kate Harker received me as If !
were her Oldest and best friend, max
ing no attempt to conceal the favor 1
had found I'm her eyes since she had
pronounced me gawk. Marion was
very reserved. Indeed. had l been as
unsophiSticated as when l had heard
lcI silly buI Hc hllONS luiHSS.
should have concluded that she had
turned against me-. But II man can't
make money without gaining Il knovl-
edge of human nature. l suspected
that Marion now held aloof from Il
feeling that since l had become n de-
sirable "catch" it was not her place to
court me. Nevertheless 1 had been re
peating her words But he knows
things for years and before leaving
home had purioined her likeness. Her
honest face as il was ut seventeen had
been well fixed in any memory. 1t was
now no less honest and had grown
more beautiful. l did not propose to
put up with this seeming Indifference.
You young ladies must be more
careful as to your Words said. Be
fore 1 went away overheard Il scrap
of conversation with regard to me that
gave me great pain"
Both looked at me uneasily. ...
You two were talking in the gar
den. One said, He's gawk" the 9th
or, But he knows thingsr"
The two girls looked at each other
inquiringly.
81 remember no such conversation"
said Kate. Marion was silent.
do you. Marion?" 1 asked.
"No. but candor compels me to say
that at that time the criticisms were
just"
The first surely was, though l am
not so certain about the second. But
the business of it all could have no
effect on a boy of nineteen. l have for
years felt harshly toward the one who
xt-E lii Nv 10
who said But he knows things"
''Then you recognized their voices
said Kate, paling slightly. Tell us
who called you gawk.''
II may have attributed the remark
to the wrong girl, but TO whomsoever
toss this pin let her stand accused"
Taking pearl pin from my scarf, 1
tossed it to Marion.
The distress on Marion's face was
painful to see. Kate blushed, and the
guilty look on her face was equally
distressing. She struggled with her
self to take the blame that she knew
belonged TO her, but without success.
1 waited 10 see If Marion would place
it where it belonged, but she did not.
She handed my pin back to me.
keep it as Il token that you are for
given,'' l said.
But she was resolute, and at last
placed the jewel again in my scarf.
1 waited n week, leaving the girls
free the one to assume her just bur-
den, the other to place it upon her
friend. 1 paid Kate marked attention
and treated Marion with indifference.
/ had learned seIfishness myself, but 4
admired that sense of honor which
prevented Marion from throwing the
blame on Kate. Meanwhile l took sat
isfaction in Marion's distress. The
fact of having called me a gawk was
nothing to her discredit. L knew that
it was the loss of my favor that panied
her.