Rock Island Argus., 1906-02-17
HESPER BY HRHNLIr4 GARLAND
Copyright, 1905, by
HAMLIN GARLAND.

| Louis came to her door and cried
out dolefully, Ann, Rob has gone
| away
II know it. Come in"
He entered with troubled, fearful
face and in deeply aggrieved tone said
"He went without saying goodby.
want to go hunt him and bring him
back, but Uncle Don says that we
must respect his wish. All the same,
1 like him, and want him back. No,
DON'T want TO go with him."
And leave me?'
His resentment. long smoldering,
burst forth: Yes, / would. Don't you
suppose L have seen how you treated
him: You think because you're from
New York you can snub 4 man like
Rob. but you're not up to hiU. You're
not half as good as he is.''
Ann listened in astonishment to this
outburst from her brother and then
cuttingly remarked:
"One would think | had taken away
some plaything of yours. Go out of my
room and stay out till you can treat
me with respect"
I'm going, and you'll never see me
again. I'm going to follow Rob.
don't care what you say" With this
defiant cry he rushed from the room.
y keen ache of jealousy ran through
the proud girls heart. The one soul OF
vital interest in her life, her sweet little
brother. seemed about to pass from her
hands to that of an adyenturer. Her
resentment of his influence blazed hot
within her. Il will defeat him with his
own weapons" she said. Il will win
him back TO me. / will go wherever he
wishes to GO"
But Louis did not return TO lunch,
and she was greatly troubled. He did
not appear at dinner and at last, open
ly alarmed, Ann told Mrs. Barnett of
Louis bitter accusation and of his
threat that he would never return.
Don't worry. Don will find him.
He'll get tired of it and come back.
These boyish tantrums don't last"
1T scares me to think of that poor.
innocent lad spending the night alone
in a big. wicked western city. l wish
Don would hurry home. Can't l go
down to his Officer"
"Oh. no; there's no need of your
going. I'll telephone him at once"
When Barnett returned, Ann, white
with anxiety, poured out her story. He
comforted her by saying: You take it
too seriously. will notify th&police at
Cinnabar and Mogalyon. They'll locate
him In an hour
They did not find him. and Ann pass
ed a miserable night. imagining all
sorts of i'll adventures into which
Il l.. toll h. Id I
accompanied Barnett on his quest next
day but for his firm command: Don't
be absurd. 1 can find him alone much
quicker
Bring him back If you have to use
force-' she cried And then. with
knowledge of Raymonds power. she
added: IF you find Mr. Raymond
please tell him to send laddie home
Say 1 wish it,
With these words in his ear Barnett
took his way to his office. At lunch he
was more concerned. He's not In
Cinnabar nor any of the surrounding
towns. He may have gone back TO
the ranch. 1 Will Wire out there this
afternoon. Did he have any money!"
"Yes. | had just given him his al
lowHnce He must have had nearly
5000"
Don whistled. a smart boy can
hide out IL good while on that. How
ever, he'll come back when his pet
wears off"
Even though Raymond had taken
bodily ont of her life, his
power to disturb and thwart AIMS
will remained. She began to fear him
Il little. He was bigger, more power
full, than she had thought him. Could
she have found him in the days which
of increasing unrest
and anXiety-she would have humbly
asked him TO find the runaway and
bring him back to her, but he had dis
as utterly as if he had never |
been