Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-06-12

they might meet and be at one in all |
sincerity, even so it would have done |
much for Toms peace of mind.
When Daintree spoke of his beloved
his dark face shone. the darker eyes
softened, and the rich voice quivered |
with no common passion. 1t was pos
sible to agree and to isvplaud without
hypocrisy, which was not possible
when the puny poet stood in the strong
mans shoes. OF his poetry enough has
been said, but about his passion there
was no mistake. The one was gen
ulne; the other was not 1t was a
mans passion, a selfish passion, but
the sheer masterful strength of it was
patent to Tom from the first Some
times 1t made him fear for the girl
and despair of himself. Gratitude
apart, it was as though his spoiled and
petty spirit was incapable of an hon
est whole hearted, ungrudging ad
miration and regard
In all their talks the only name Tom
heard was Clarinda 1t was character
istic of his state that he never inquir-
ed the other. His sympathy and his
interest We're confined to his friend:
real curiosity he had none. He asked
no questions. but a crooked answer
was ready for him If he had.
"You must let me tell her all owe
TO YOU" Tom said once. ut will be
pleasure to her and a relief to me-"
Perhaps you owe as much to her
self"
I,nI eli ont hut GnT
at all excited.
"You mean that she believed in me,
too?" he asked with a mild sort of in
Credulity. and he saw from the others
face that she had not. Upon my
soul" he thought, Il begin to disbe
lieve in myself, especially since I've
done as bad out here-and perhaps not
heard the last of 1t YETI
Daintree wondered why he shudder-
true and fierce emotion was the base
fear OF further tortures. He despised
himself for that most of all.
Meanwhile the cork ship with the pa
per sails was creeping slowly, but
surely, across the great white south
Atlantic of the chart. and the wall on
which it hung had been repapered, and
the whole bungalow smelt of paint 1t
was a fair sized house of two stories,
with a veranda encircling the one and
balcony the other. Very pretty it
looked in it's new coat of paint for the
summer. white coat with yellow trim
minGs, which stood out delightfully."- on
the blue waters edge. The garden
lawn merged into narrow strand that
slid straight under the wavelets them
selves. As summer set in the trees
behind the house broke out in every
gay and gorgeous color; it was the
plumage of the parrots that now came
| and perched in fiocks among the
branches.
Tom gave up his room. as two ladies'
and a maid were expected. 1t was re-
| papered for the maid. a room was
| found for Tom in the pretty little sta
| FawCett with the horses and the cur
riCle, which was in Sydney on some
errand every day. Generally the mas
ter went alone. Once he took Tom
with him. 1t was on the occasion of
his cashing Il check to meet the run
ming expenses of these elaborate prep
| arationS.
They were on their way home at
dusk when Daintree pulled up on the
outskirts of the town and hailed a dis
consulate. soldierly figure with one arm
in sling
"Why, Harry" cried Daintree THAT'S
never you?'
Il wish 1t wasn't, sir"
you've left the forceT'
"These six months. 1t was my arm
Look there, sir,''
An emaciated hand came through
the sling. The thumb and forefinger
were uniniured. but half the middle
finger and both the other two were like
dead, distorted branches on a living
tree
What did IT."
"a bullet; caught me on the funny
bone and paralyzed half my hand. My
at thirty three"
"An accident. Harry?"
Tom held his breath.
quite" said Harry bitterly. 'Tt was
meant for my heart. You would heal
OF the bushrangers at DIR. Sullivan:
last summer-that's when 1t was-ant
the one that did it was the only on,
to get away"
Toms clothes We're sticking to him
freezing him Drive onn' he whis
pered. For Gods sake, sir. drive on!
Daintree expressed sympathy witt
the man and whipped up his horses.
Not so fastw cried Tom. you of
fered me wages. Advance me 70 o
what you got from the banky
, His face was white with horror. hi
, tone so piteous and so eager that Dain
T tree pulled up, took : sovereigns iron
, a bag and dropped them one by on
, into the trembling hand. Tom spran
2 out and ran back to the disabled man.
From my master!' he gasped an
! thrust the money into his left han
: and darted back without daring to loo
t in his face. The astonished troope
l had not time to say a word.
e "God bless you for that money! IA