Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-09-17
DAILY SHORT STORY
DEAD TO TIE WORLD.
IOriEinal.l

| father, who convinced me that | was
| In error and sent me to America, hop
Ing that my youthful indiscretion might
| pass harmlessly 10y my entering 4 new
| field.
| My first summer in the warmer eli
! mate | spent at the seashore. one after
| noon | was lying on the shore on my
| back. my straw hat shading my eyes,
| looking out over the waves heating up
| against the rocks below. Far to the
| left | could see white line Of foam
| making = succession of graceful curves.
! My cheek was famed by Il steady sea
| breeze laden with that salt odo- which
| has always been to me 50 delicious.
| Hearing a footstcp. I raised myself
| from my reclining position. ana, seeing
| a young girl approach, l stood. hat in
| hand. waiting for her to pass me. Then
suddenly | recognized her as the daugh-
ter OF gentleman living on IN estate
adjoining my fathers in Russia.
| Alexis"
| LISA. What brings YOU here:"
ITO this particular spot: You. l
| saw your name on the hotel register
and have been hunting for you ever
| since"
but what brings You to AmcricaE'
! farcicd she was trying II hide some
emotion as she replied: oh, l read Of
| the independence of the American wo-
men and the fields of labor open to
| them. l couldn't sit and twirl my fin
gers waiting for my father to find me
| Il husband. | wish to make Il career
| for myself"
Put, Lisa, do you expect to make a
| sortE"
NO. have just arrived and have
| been told that it is III" dull season in
| the cities l came hero to pass the
! time before Il buster season warrants
| my applying for work
! The meeting With Lisa was like
! breath of air from home. She had
| long ago been a playmate of mine. and
| had funcied that ! was her favorite
among all the boys. My father WAS
| supplying ne with means, and Lisa
seemed to have all She needed. she
! prudently left the hotel and took
room in Il farmhouse near by This
saved us from criticism, for we were
! constantly together, ana she was with
! out 4 chaDrrOn. Thus spending our
! time. one day out in n pleasure boat,
| the next StrGlIing through the country,
| the next lying on I'll" dunes watching
| the eyer varying features of old ocean,
| it is not remarkable that my boyish
| fancy returned to me as n mans love.
Lisa was very different Mt different
| times. IF l spoke to her about her
| plans for the future. her methods of
procedure III making career, she
would say. Time enough for that
when | return to the city" When we
StrOIlcd in the country she was moody;
when we sat upon the shore she was
lost in dreams. 1t was only when we
were out on the ocean speeding under
n twelve knot breeze that she seemed
to throw off some unpleasant rcmcm-
branccs that haunted her and was
herself Once. when we werc in great
danger from a storm that came up sud
denly. she showed an eXhilaratjon OF
delight
Ono evening 1 went for n stroll alone
On the beach. Lisa ard l during the
afternoon had been there. She had
started TO run, and had run beside
her. Now I walked over the course we
had taken. Seeing a letter on the sand,
1 picked IT up 1t was addressed to
attracted my attention. As the Cnvcl-
ope was broken. l took out the letter
mechanically ANA glanced ut it IS
whole. Vas surprised TO notice that
there was no heading. One word stared
me in the face-my own name,
Self preservation is the first law OF
nature. / read the letter. 1t informed
Nina Vasalivitch that during the pre-
vious spring ! had been seen in Phil
adelpha.
What did it mean: The evidence
pointed strongly to one conclusion, but
it was an indefinite conclusion. l put
the letter in my pocket and, going UP
on - the dunes, lay down to try to
recover my composure. Tie moon was
IiChtin" up the beach. and presently /
saw a figure coming. Il woman. She
was walking over the course Lisa and !
l had taken during the afternoon. | /
lay hidden in the sage grass. and when |
she came nearer l saw Lisa. She was /
looking for the letto-
l arose and went 10 her. Here is /
what you are looking for. Nina Vasa- |
livitch,'' I said. Il suppose you have /
been sent bT the nihi:istS 10 Kill me"
1 could see her whiten in the moon /
light. No" she said. Il have not !
been sent to kill You. but TO order you /
to kill another"
In this sentence l read my death war /
rant. I staggered.
Alexis" she said almost in wall. /
y have not delivered the message be- /
cause | could not thus strike you. To /
day ! determined that | would do the /
work l am expected to order you to
do
Why" I stammered-"wh have you
taken my burden:'
because ] love YOU"
\ week later storm came up. \
rowboat was driven ashore. bottom up. h
10 one Of tie rowlocks Of which were
tied certain letters Lisa and had been