Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-02

palette knife and then buttered her
bread with the same utensil. There
is always a turn of the tide"
Sally Peterson shook her tiny small
head vigorously. There is bound to
be turn-when you turn it. My dear.
nothing succeeds in this big town like
success"
But you must first gain success. and
that is not something so easily gain
ed"
Nonsense" declared Sally oracular-
ly. Men and women are too busy to
inquire If success is real. Look at the
way got ahead. 1t was all bluff"
"A bluff" Alva's eyes were wide
open. You sinful child, l know to my
own knowledge of three checks you've
had this week"
Now. yes" said Miss Peterson dis
dainfully. II mean when l began.
was on the verge. l was stopping at a
place more expensive than l could af-
ford because one of the assistant edi-
tors on big magazine stopped there
too.
Il thought I could land him with
| some Of my stuff. but he fought shy of
1t. Then one day l got a check for
| 500 from another magazine. / don't
| mind admitting that it was commits
sion on lot Of subscriptions | had
| turned in. The editor at our hotel
didn't know that when he cashed the
check. as asked him to. and his eyes
bulged. My dear. l sent myself that
| same check four times in the next
week and sold my editorial friend two
stories on the strength of my success -
But where could | get a check o.
demanded Alva. Sally smiled.
I'll back you. Get out Of this cheap
boarding house into good locality.
Rent good studio and leave the rest
to me. I'll find the right sort of board.
ing house for you. Why. from this ad.
dress alone they would know that you
were struggling artist and despise
you accordingly"
There were other but less important
details to be settled. and it was the
| end of the week before Alva found her
| self established at fashionable adj
dress, enjoying the novelty of her sur
l
| success of the scheme For what her
boarding place and studio now cost
each week she could have lived for
two months In the old way.
| The second day check came In an
| envelope with a fashionable address
| Even the waitress was more deferen
.tial as she brought Alva her break
fast. and the landlady beamed when
asked to cash the check. Other checks
followed. and almost before she knew
it Alva was being asked for invita-
tons to her studio.
Her work was good, and soon rea
checks came in with orders for work
and Sally Peterson, who was using the
fact that she was writing up society
women for one of the Sunday paper:
to get the checks, no longer cudgele(
her wits to keep up the supply. L
has been easy to ask for a check TO
cash on the plea she had to send som,
money to a friend. and checks wer,
easier than money orders.
Alva was still uncertain. From Puri
tan ancestors she had inherited od'
notions of right and wrong. and it die
not seem fair to sell to her patron
pictures that a few weeks ago hat
been regarded with supercilious scorl
by the dealers to whom she submitte,
them. Under Sally's assiduous coach
ing she was becoming used to it. large
ly because there was no way out of il
-. 1t was not until Godfrey Marsden ar
peared upon the scene that her pTotes
against the slight deceit became strong
Marsden was a clean cut young fel
, low, far less aware of the importanc
) of his millions than were most of hi
associates. He was doing squire dut
: to some of his friends at one of Alva'
t studio teas. Thereafter the young ma
became q frequent visitor to the coz
/ studio with the simple lettering Mis-
! Vallhall" in black upon the door.
5 Marsden was not one to let the gras
grow under his feet. and in less tina
> three months he had proposed ma
riage. For an instant Alva's soul seen
ed filled with gladness. then she n
+ membered with sinking heart that th
, success which had attracted her love
was all sham. fabrication of Sail
=, Peterson and herself. Gently she witt
drew the hand he was pressing to h
lips and rose from her chair
81 am sorry" she said duly. II di
not realize whittier we were drifting
1t was wrong of me to permit matter
!, to go so far. Forgive me-"
:. She raised her big, lustrous eyes
his white, tense face and held out ht
hand in token of dismissal.
SIS it that you do not love me?" /
/, | urged. 'Is 1t because of some fault
Il mine that you say no?" he aske
i You can learn to love me. dear. IT
. fault might be explained away"
"No, no." she cried. 1T is not tina
y 1t is because-I cannot explain. Plea.
l. do not ask me to explain" She pushe
him from her and sank sobbing upC
II the Turkish divan.
II For a moment Marsden watched b,
p undecidedly. He longed to take her
his arms and comfort her. to insist u
on an explanation in the hope of clea
ing away the trouble; but, manlike,