Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-05

remembered him kindly, even though
he came to take her fathers place.
He had not supposed that she was in
town. He had understood that she had
married and gone to England to live.
He had had no direct communication
with her after he had left the little
mill town to seek other employment.
dozen times he had written her in
care of her old nurse. but no answer
! had come, and at last he had given her
Up.
| He had supposed that she had for
gotten him entirely, but the pansies
appeared to tell another story. and it
was with warm glow at his heart
that he went about the business of
Strengthening things up.
AS he moved from the Office he could
almost see Lilith as she used to look
when she came down in the trap to
take her father home. 1t was here
that he had seen her one afternoon
when he had come to bring n message
from his foreman. He had loved her
then. though he was but sixteen and
she three years younger. Later on he
had come to know her through her in
terest in the benefit society maintained
in the factory. and eventually he had
won her love.
Then had come his declaration to her
father, his dismissal and his search for
work elsewhere. He had rapidly risen
in his new employment, and the trust
decided to give him charge of the Mas.
tiers mill when Guy Masters, weary OF
the struggle sought the rest that lies
beyond the grave.
The little floral offering brought this
all back more strongly than ever. Per,
haps he would see her. Perhaps she
would explain why it was that she had
not answered his passionate letters. He
had thought then she had determined
to put him out of her mind, but the
: flowers told another story. She had
always loved pansies best of all the
| flowers. |
, He whistled her favorite air as he
moved about the office settling things
to his liking. He was still wills
Ting when he brought up in front
of the door of the big safe. 1t was
filed with a mass of papers, most of
which Paul knew could be of little
value.
Mr. Masters had had an almost su.
perstitious dread of destroying any
paper.
Rapidly he drew from the pigeon
holes the accumulation of years and
threw them on his desk for eXamina-
ton. Far back in the safe he came
across a package that caused his eyes
to open wide. Neatly banded with
tape We're the letters which he had
sent Lilith eight years ago.
He had sent them to Liith's old
nurse to be given to her. Only the
outer envelope had been opened, and
the inner covers were still sealed. Mas.
tiers would bride to gain possession OF
the letters, but apparently his sense OF
honor prevented his reading them.
Paul turned them over curiously
The cheap paper was yellowed an6
stained At best they had been poor
things, the best that he could afforJ
at the time He smiled as he drew
toward him his own personal paper
| with its embossed heading upon tn,
heavily laid surface. Many things hat
changed in those eight years. He won
dered if Lilith had changed with thu
rest She had been seventeen then
Now she must be twenty-five. If sh'
had been married as he had been told
she must begin to look matronly b.,
now. Perhaps there were children-i
seemed funny to think of children il
:, connection with Lilith. She was still
child herself in his minds eye.
:, If she had never received his letters
he did not blame her for marrying
Doubtless she had thought that he hac
:, forgotten. Forgotten! AS if he evei
could forget,
So sunk was he in his reverie that
he did not notice that some one haC
entered until a voice broke the still
- ness. and he sprang to his feet. Fol
:, an instant it seemed as though the
concentration of his thoughts had ma
~ terialized a vision, for before him stood
'e the girl who had been in his mind al
= day.
Don't let me disturb you" she said
W "but l came to ask for some of ia
w Tiers personal papers. l thought 4
* would be best to wait until a repre-
w sentative of the purchasers came be
X fore asking for them
~ SIS it really you?" he asked. "Fo
Wl Il HipluCHL II Stculeu IL NlSIOu, NOu lOOt
W so like your old self l thought mar
XII rage would change you"
W Don't tell me that you heard tina
XII absurd report of my marriage. 81
WI Henry was three years older than IA
X Their, and he came over to investigat,
NJ the MILL That was all. Was tina
XII why you did not writer
~ Paul handed her the package of le:
XXI tiers.
" Il found them in the safe," he ex
XII planned simply. Evidently our trus
W In Mrs Willis was not we'll founded
MI Curiously she turned the packet owe
W In her hands. The tears came into he
Ml eyes0as she realized that her fathe
NJ had withheld the letters.
~ This explains much" she said a
Nv la.aE 4. Al -