Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-01-29
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Game Between Lovers.
IOriginal.1

Haywood Glover sat muSing for
few moments before replying to his
prospective mother-in-law's question.
Il am not sure Estelle and l will be
happy together. She has a passion for
attention. My love does not seem TO
satisfy her. Better give her time to
make up her mind that she really pre-
fers me to all the rest"
Il must admit that you show very
good sense. / will speak TO Estelle, and
we shall see if she will not do better"
''That would avail nothing. If this
love of admiration, which usually car
ries with it love for dress, is part of
her nature, she will not heed your adj
monition. Say nothing to her. Leave
it to me to decide when, if ever, she is
fitted to get on with one man."
There was no need for either to adj
monish Estelle, for she overheard every
word from behind pOrtiere.
The winter social season was at it's
height, and Estelle, being engaged, did
not Scruple to go out in the evening
with her lover as sole escort. The first
ball they attended after she had over
heard her lovers remarks about her
she put on her finest costume and all
her jewels. When Haywood saw her
thus arrayed, he frowned. AS soon as
they arrived at the ball EstelIe accept
ed the attentions of every man who
was disposed to seek her and seemed
pleased that their number was greater
than ever before. Haywood stood be-
side her till her card was filled, then
left her to her first partner and did not
l,n = %, To
drove home with her, listening to her
prattle about the different triumphS she
had achieved during the evening, and
left her at the door without the usual
kiss. The next day he wrote her note
breaking the enga cement.
Estelle inclosed his note without a
word of comment or reply in an en-
velope addressed to Haywood Glover,
Esq. and sent it through the mail.
Haywood was somewhat taken aback
at this unexpected treatment. He con-
sidered it, to say the least, evidence of
hayward disposition. He deemed
himself insulted by the girl who was
to have been his wife, and the next
step, if any, must be an apology from
her. But this was simply Il mans
view.
The next entertainment at which
Haywood and Estelle met was a prom
enade concert. Estelle was dressed
with the utmost simplicity. This was
gratifying to Haywood, though some
what surprising. He hoped it was in
Difference to his wishes till Estelle
passed him on the arm of her escort
when she turned away her head.
There is no weapon with which n wom-
an can fight a man SO effectively as con-
tempt. Haywood WINGED. How tan
talizing that she should have respected
his wishes as to her costume and at
the same time declined to recognize
him! There was another inconsistency
Instead of accepting the attentions of
a number of men, she confined herself
almost exclusively to one.
Things were not going Heywood's
way. Instead OF the apology ne had
looked for as the only possible solution
to the situation, Estelle had cut him
and had evidently taken up with an
other man. When the self deposed low
err went home that night, he was very
near q collapse, very nearly ready to
sue for reinstatement. But the next
morning he awoke an hour before day
light and thought it all over when his
brain was cool and resolved, come what
might, to fight to finish.
When a resolute man makes up his
mind that he is right and, after often
going over his premises, invariably
comes to the same conclusion, he is
hard to move. Day after day passed,
during which Haywood whenever he
met Estelle treated her as though she
had had no place whatever in his life.
Estelle endeavored to freeze him by her
naughty demeanor and at times made
him feel that he was worm of the
dust. She went so far as to circulate a
report that she was engaged to another
man. This came very near breaking
Heywood's armor and piercing
his already lacerated heart, but he
stood firm.
Then Haywood, being somewhat left
out in the cold, took up with widow.
This move, though he made it without
the slightest intention of using it as a
weapon, carried CONSERVATION to his
beloved enemy. Estelle, panic stricken,
sought an immediate opportunity for
but instead of sending for
Haywood and frankly confessing that
she had been in the wrong she resorted
to very petty and transparent device.
At a cotillon party, suddenly releaS-
ing herself from her partner, she went
over to where Haywood was standing
and without looking at him pinned a
favor to the lapel of his coat. Then,
casting up her eyes, she feigned to have
been mistaken in the person. Haywood
was not duped, nor did she expect him
to be. Why she had not surrendered
openly and aboveboard, he, being a
man, could not see. but he did not |
trouble himself about so small matter |
since he knew from that moment he |
was her master. He put his arms about |
hnr and thnr called awav A ffer cir