Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-12-14
DAILY SHORT STORY
A PhiIopena.

Isolated caSeS-In9I Is, where NOIudn
will deliberately set to work to injure
a man who has Tilted her. There are
women thus treated who have pinned
in secret and still loved. There are
cases where they have sacrificed for
the man who has turned them off.
But the woman who will stab and the
woman who will sacrifice are rare.
One evening at a dinner party Hen
ry WOlcOtt was sitting beside Hester
Rowe. to whom lie was engaged to be
married. 4 tall girl with flashing
black eye and a pair of full, sensuous
lips came in on the arm of her dinner
companion and took seat directly
opposite the betrothed couple. VOL
colt turned pale. The lady who was
seating herself was Kate Drummond,
and WoIcott had deliberately left her
after an affair of the heart to engage
himself to Hester Rowe. Miss Drum
mond had fascinated him in one way,
Miss Rowe in another The former
had worked on all that was sensual
in him, the latter on all that was spir-
itual. Wolcott, whose nature was i'm
pressible in either way, finally yielded
20 the good influence of Miss Rowe.
AS soon as the lady entered, Wolcott
turned to his companion and talked
rapidly about well. he did not know
what he talked. When he turned and
faced Miss Drummond he received a
cordial bow. The lady indicated that
she wished to be friendly. WolcOtt was
surprised. He fancied that she would
cut him. During the dinner she seemed
to be in quite an eXhilarated mood.
She congratulated WolcOtt on his en-
gagement and smiled affably on the
lady of his choice. Before leaving the
table she eXacted promise from both
that they would dine with her N a Civ
en- date. WolcOtt. who was greatly re-
lieved at her friendliness when he had
expected the reverse. thought it pru-
dent to accept the invitation, and per-
suaded Hester 10 join with him.
When the dinner came off Kate
Drummond was seated at one end of
the table. with WOlcott and his fan
Gee on either hand. WOlcott in the
presence of his old flame felt. though
he did not reveal it. something of her
former influence. Kate brought her
swapping black eyes to bear on him,
and her tongue threw off a shower of
words all intended to impress him.
Hester sat very quietly eating her din
neP in Il matter of fact way, and her
betrOthed could not but compare her
unfavorably with the more brilliant
Kate.
"a philopena with you.' said Kate to
Wolcott and handed him one of those
Il Of ho BNy
that name.
with all my heart
Henry" said his fiancee. suddenly
springing from Indifference to an in
tense interest in what was going on be.
fore her, Il do not care to have you eat
a philopena with any one except me.
Give it to me-
Wolcott cast quick. troubled glance
from one of the girls to the other.
Kate was deathly pale. Testers face
was anxious.
you are forgetting, Hester" he said,
that we are in the presence of host
eSS"
Give me the philopena." said Hes
ter. Kate looked on without a word,
but with an eye darling between the
voice, but pleaded with her eyes.
WolcOtt tossed the philOpena before
her. She snatched it and held it tight
ly. Wolcott, gIancing at Kate. saw
her eye fixed on his betrothed. 1t was
| the eye of n serpent medita ting Il stroke
at one by whom it was about TO be
killed. But the stroke did not fall.
The scene passed as quickly as it came,
and apparently the social sky was Sc
rene. At least that is how it appeared
to Wolcott
The betrothed couple did not remain
long after dinner. Hester told the
hostess that she was suffering from
headache and begged to be excused.
When WolcOtt took Hates hand before
departing he noticed that it trembled.
He looked into her eye, and he fancied
that he saw despair
Wolcott and his betrothed rode home
side by side without speaking. Some
| thing was wrong. but lie did not know
| what it was. He was inclined to
blame Hester for her action, though
only on the ground that it was i'm
polite He concluded to wait for an
explanation till they got home.
Henry, Salu hester before entering
the house, you know about acids and
tests for all sorts of things. l know
about your course in analytical chemis-
try while in college. Go to the nearest
drug store and get some acids TO make
test with"
Wolcott was by this time so mysti-
fed that he obeyed the order like a
lamb, wondering what would come
next Returning with several walls and
strips of litmus paper. he found Hester
examining the philopena by bright
light.
TEST it for poison she said.
Wolcott started. looked at her as
though he thought her bereft of her
senses, then did her bidding. After APP
plying several tests he tried one that
produced an effect.
Great heavens, it is poison!o
TO Henry Wolcott ever afterward the
meetings of Kate and Hester were mat
tiers of marvel There were affable