Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-02-14
DAILY SHORT STORY
Was 1t a Dream?
IOriginaI.l

lowing telegram from his betrothed's
mother:
Come at once. Lillian is very i'll.
Snatching his handbag, which was
ready, he hurried to the depot and took
the first train. 1t was 6 o'clock in the
evening in June, that month chosen by
so many lovers i'll which to consum-
mate their happiness, and the foliage
along the route had in it the first
freshness of summer But Edward
Holmes did not notice it. He was far
away, fearing, hoping. On reaching
N, a large summer resort, he was
ineXpresSibly distressed to find that the
train went no farther. He must wait
for one that passed at IL O'clock. 1t
was still twilight, and he walked to a
hotel not half mile from the station.
The house was brilliantly lighted, while
the guests were fitting about in pic
turesque costumes preparatory to
fancy dress ball. This was no place for
one in anxiety, but Holmes, not relish
ing waiting at the station, took a wick
er chair in a dark corner of the piazza.
There he spent the evening. When
dance was finished couples would
promenade on the piazza. Holmes found
it relief to watch them, and the time
passed more quickly for his mind be-
ing distracted till half past 10. Then,
impatient to be again in motion, he
was about to rise and return to the sta
ton when, glancing aside and slightly
behind him, he saw what at first he
took for sheaf of light coming through
window. Then he noticed that it was
a woman. Her dress was of white,
though of what material he could not
tell. Looking up at her face, he saw
that it was masked, also with white.
He would have risen. but at the mo-
ment he felt hand rest lightly on his
shoulder.
A great deal passed through Edward
Holmes mind in Il very few moments.
Who was this girl, for she had the APP
pearance of a young person, and what
was her interest in him? 1t did not oc-
cur to him that she could be stranger
to him. She must be one of the guests,
some friend of his who had seen him
when he first reached the hotel and had
sought him out. Doubtless she would
amuse herself with his efforts to dis
cover her identity.
For moment he sat still. Then, not
withstanding the hand on his shoulder,
he rose and faced his visitor.
You are He paused. The form
seemed familiar, but there was too lit
tie light for him to identify it. She did
not answer his question, but slipped
her hand within his arm and led him
for walk, not toward the entrance,
brilliantly lighted, but to a dark end of
the piazza. She did not speak, and
Holmes, whoIwas in no mood for such
an adventure, could think of nothing to
say to her. He'thought of contidipg his
anxiety to her; but, after all, she might
be stranger. One thing made him
start. On passing a chink in a window
blind he noticed orange blossoms on her
head. His own wedding, set for the
morrow-would 1t be a wedding or a
funeral? Would the flowers be orange
blossoms or tube Iroses? If it had been
difficult for him to speak to his COM
panion before, it was well nigh impOs-
sible now. A strange dread came over
him. Then during momentary breeze
from behind a light substance touched
his hand. 1t must I've bridal veil.
Was the costume of a bride an I'M
usual or a common one for such occa-
sions? He could not recall in all his So
cial experience having seen one. 4
strange influence seemed to be passing
from the girl to him. 1t came in waves,
now happiness, now grief. Whatever it
was, he did not wish it to end. He took
| no thought of time. forgetting that he
was waiting for a train to take him to
Lillian.
She spoke no word, nor did he wish
her to speak. His senses seemed to
become gradually benumbed There
was a mystical mingling of chat. music
and laughter, besides the dripping Of
fountain in the center of n lawn be-
! fore the hotel. Then the sounds all
melted away together.
Suddenly he was awakened as from a
dream by clock striking. He was still
sitting in the dark corner, and his COM
panion was not with him. He looked
up and down the piazza, but she was
not to be seen. Had he fallen asleep
and dreamed? No; it was all too real.
He arose and strobe back and forth to
make sure he was awake. Then he
heard a train approach the station and
knew that he had not time to reach it
before it should start on. Hurrying to
the hotel office, he inquired the hour Of
leaving for the next train and was
shocked to hear that he could not get
away from the place till morning.
Who was this girl who had kept him
away from his beloved, lying on a
sick bed and doubtless listening every
moment to catch the sound of his step i?
How could he have been so affected by
her presence as to forget the passing
time? There was nothing now for
him to do but take room and go to
bed. This he did, but not to sleep.
| He rose early and went to the sta
ton. The time came for the train, but
no train came. Locomotives hurried by,
some carrying box cars. and one bore
| wreckinQ 3DnaratI1S