Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-02-11

;Iughes?" said Imogene, pale as an
avenging spirit. holding forth the blue
sheet.
Kitty crimsoned and her face con-
fessed. though her lips were silent.
you've ruined my life! What fiend
possessed you?"
"I-oh. Gene, what is it? 1 found
the sheet slipped down behind your
writing desk, and it wasn't written in
your hand. l didn't suppose any one
would know it, and there it was, all
ready to send off. 1 just thought it
was a lark to ship it off to the first
man thought Of"
you've ruined my lifer' said Imo-
gene, with dull emphasis. and without
another word turned and left the room.
Kitty fell to crying, but also to think
ing. She was not an unobservant
young person. She had got an inkling
of stormy scene in the drawing room
early in the afternoon. She had been
pursuing knowledge when she Knocked
at Imogene's door with her valentine
and, despite that young lady's acting,
had discovered that she was crying.
She did not waste time trying to find
out how the fatal blue sheet had been
so quickly recognized, but it may be
briefly made known TO the reader be-
fore we follow her next movement.
Imogene's beautiful and peculiar let
tering was as well known TO many as
her handwriting, because she was al
ways doing it on fancy articles for her
friends and on things put on sale at
church fairs and the like. Hughes had
a calendar, purchased at three times its
worth, lettered by her hand, and it had
not taken him ten seconds to recognize
the handiwork on it as well as the pc
culiar stationery.
Kitty now made one boldness pay for
another She soon dried her tears and
sailed forth on the unmaidenly errand
of hunting up Ainsley. She believed
the trouble had to do with him, and she
was going to investigate Femorselessly.
She went to his apartment house and,
remaining in the hail. sent up her card
in an envelope, with an urgent, crazy
message that she must see him.
He came down with a haggard face,
hungry with expectation. OF course
he had a wild hope that she came Oh
some errand-he could not imagine
what-from Imogene.
Come walk with me in the park"
said the imperious Kitty, and there in
the cold February twilight, under the
bare rees-thanks to the young lady's
scorn of conventions and to her direct
ness-the story was soon told.
Ainsley saw her home, went in, and
there in the library he wrote an inco-
herent letter, heavy with remorse and
love, to Imogene, praying her to come
down and see him.
1t was not u polished piece of Htera-
ture, but its eloquence was effective.
With great haughtiness of mien she
came, and her haughtiness lasted just
eight minutes by the clock.
Then she bent a tender face to the
man who knelt at her feet and he-did
what a man should under such circum-
stances.
After he had explained all about how
Farley, with the jealousy of chum for
chum's happiness. had come to him with
the story of the valentine. Hughes had
received from Miss Varney, the tender
phrases he had seen III it and Hughes
asinine and obvious happiness over it
anu HatO CACusCd AtASetAC IL VI JSoA
ousy ON the ground of the depth of his
love, Imogene said:
well, 1 think St Valentine has been
very mean to us. Think of nearly sepa-
rating us through some foolish verses
really written to you!"
''Ah, that's not the saints fault said
Ainsley. IF you'd only been true to his
traditions and not only written me
valentine and kept it secret, but had
sent,sit to me as you should, we'd have
been saved this terrible day"
+But we couldn't have been any hap
pier than we are now" said the wise
young lady, who thought all well that
ends well.