Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-12-25
DAILY SHORT STORY
TENDER CONSCIENCE.
fOrigirai1

first stumbling block | called WedneS-
day and Saturday eyeHinGS-to arrive
not before :, to leave not after IL.
invariably arrived as the clock struck
the hour of meeting and departed
well. / stayed as long after IL as l
dared. On the seventh day after our
engagement / was on time and was
ushered into the green drawing room.
which. it had been stipulated. should
be reserved for our exclusive use. Eva
advanced as usual TO meet me. and
was proceeding TO greet her with the
usual kiss when she stopped me
My heart sank. / had had Il hard
struggle TO get her away from rival,
and it occurred to nue. that she had.
after all. discovered she loved him and
didn't love me. However. | withheld
any expression of trepidation and sank
ON TO the sofa where 1 usually sat. But
tonight instead of sitting SD close TO
Eva that . sheet of paper could not be
thrust between us | sat on one end of
the sofa. while Eva sat OH the other.
1t was plain by her expression that
something OF Importance weighed OH
her mind. | dreaded to hear her speak
the word that should undo all that had
been 50 delightfully."- done. She had
taken me up into the ''delecta bic moan
tains." and now she was about tG*1fN
me into .'bO;tomless pit" AZ
Harry" she began. something has
been OH my mind ever since we've been
engaged"
What is III" faltered.
You know I've always said |
wouldn't marry any but n perfectly
pure man"
Il know IT, / see il all. You're GO
ing 10 break our engagement because
I'm not good enough"
Don't go so fast. Often when you
have kissed me l have wondered if
you have ever kissed any one else.
I've thought that it would be better to
ask you and get the matter off my
mind
But supposing 1 have"
''Supposing you have-well. suppos-
ing you have" touch of feminine
curiosity came into her eyes and sveice
I'm that case it would depend upon
whom you have kissed"
II never kiss and tell"
Its not telling; it's coDfessing"
But what right would | have to tell
that / had kissed a girl?'
You have only the right to tell me.
No one else. OF course"
do you think the girl who has been
kissed would assent to thatr'
''She has nothing to do with the mat
ter"
''Humph"'
IA n T.
surdum. but TO Eva valid ARGUMENT
on her side. Our relations We're be
coming strained.
do you remember the autumn we
all went nuttingi" Eva asked.
''Perfectly."
And how you and Daisy Langlon
wandered away and sat under the
bridge?'
"Did weT'
"Of course you did. You remember
il well enough. You put your arm
around her waist and kissed her"
How did you know all this?
II happened to be walking toward
the bridge and saw YOU"
There was a pause. during which we
sat studying on the important problem
Dct"tcA us
We'll" I snid at last. since you
won't marry n man impure enough to
kiss a pure girl don't see but that
I'm not immaculate" she said, hang
ing her head.
Then why do YOU expect an immacu
late lover?'
Il have long had a confession on my
mind"
Make it,
AT that same nutting party
"Well:'
AT the moment came upon you and
Daisy
"Wcn?"
Il was walking with-with n friend"
You're sure he wasn't a loveri'
A friend who might or might not he
n lover. When we saw you go away
from under the bridge we went there
ourselves ana sat down Then ne
kissed me"
All this came hard. but il all came at |
last and I felt that I was safe from |
further moiestation as to my own pee
| was a trlfie irritated a hav |
ing had To go through so much for so |
little and. rising. said codly;
so ! suppose your knowledge |
you have had for more than |
a year-that I am not perfectly pure |
ends all between US"
II have confessed TO an equal sin. If |
you will forgive me. will forgive you"
"Oh. see il all now Having a sin on |
your conscience. you first bring up an |
equal one on my part"
II think you are very unkind.'
There is one thing I don't like about |
this matter. one thing in which you |
have had the advantage OF me. You |
know the girl / kissed; I don't know the |
man who kissed you"
is il necessary that l should confess |
thatF No one expects anything OF /
man"
But You have expected something Of |
me-