Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-09-10

l say so again. He is a strange man. /
and / don't understand him at all.
wish could marry you and go away |
altogether"
well. let US marry il you like.
though we will be poor"
NO" said Sylvia sorrowfully. "Aft- |
err all, strange and harsh though my
father is, he is still my father. and at
times he is kind. must stay with him
to the end"
what endf'
Sylvia shook her head still more sor-
rowfully. who knows2 Paul. my
father Is afraid of dying suddenly"
by violencei" asked Beecot, think
ing of Deborahs talk.
81 can't say. But every day after
6 he goes. to church and prays all
alone. Deborah told me. as often she
has seen him leave the church. Then
he is afraid of every stranger who
enters the shop. l don't understand
it." cried the girl passionately. Il
don't like it, wish you would marry
me and take me away. Paul; but, oh.
how selfish I ami!
MY own. wish I could. But the
money
"Oh. never mind the money. must
get away from that house. IL It was
not for Deborah would be still more
afraid. often think my father Is
mad But there" Sylvia rose and
shook out her skirts. II have no right
to talk so and only do SO to you
that you may know what | feel. III
speak TO my father myself and say we
are ngaged. If he forbids our mar
rage shall run away with you. Paul"
| said poor Sylvia, the tears In her eyes.
Paul was so enchanted with this
speech that he would have defed pub
| lie opinion by embracing her there and
| then, but Sylvia walked away rapidly
| down Gwynne street and shook her
| head with q pursed up mouth when
| Paul took few steps after her. Rec
| ogniZing that it would be wise not
| to follow her to the shop lest the sus-
| picious old man should be looking out,
| Beecot went on his homeward way.
| When he drew near his bloomsbury
| garrett he met GreXon Hay. who was
sauntering along swinging his cane.
II was just looking for you." he said,
greeting Paul in his usual self con-
| tanned manner; ''it worries me to
think you are so hard up. though I'm
not a fellow given to sentiment as q
rule. Let me lend you flyer"
Paul shook his head. THANK you
| all the same"
"Well, then. sell me the brooch"
Beecot suddenly looked squarely al
| Hay. who met his gaze calmly. "DC
you know anything of that broOchY
he asked.
what do you meant 1t is brooch
Of Indian Workmanship; that is al
l know. l want to give lady pres
ent. and If you will sell II to me II
take it. to help you. thus killing two
birds at one shot"
81 don't want to sell It," said Paul
looking round. His eyes fell on re
I spectacle man across the road who ap
peared to be workman. as be had {
bag OF tools on his shoulder. He wa
looking into shop window. but also
as Paul suddenly thought-seemed t,
be observing him and Hay. However
the incident was not worth noticing
SO he continued his speech to GreXon
II tried to pawn it with Aaron Nor
man." he said.
well. what did you get on itf" ask
ed Hay, with yawn.
Nothing. The old man tainted whel
showed him the brooch. That Is VIII
! asked you If you know anythin
strange about the article
Hay shook his head, but looked cur
: ouSly at Beecot DO you know any
l thing yourself?" he asked You seer
to have something on your mind abou
2 that brooch"
There is something queer about it,
said Paul. why should Aaron MOI
D man faint when he saw it?'
8 Hay yawned again. You had bette
ask your one eyed friend think 20
+ said he was one eyed"
"He is, and a frightened sort {
r man. But there's nothing about thi
Il opal serpent to make him faint
perhaps he did so because 1t is |
the shape of serpent" suggeste
= Grexon, "a constitutional failing pc
f haps. Some people hate cats and othel
futtering birds. Your one eyed frien
s. may have leathing Of snakes an
can't bear to see the representation {
one"
l. 1T might be that" said Beecot, aft,
q a pause. Aaron Is a strange sort
u chap. A man with q past, 1 shou
e say"
/ ''You make me curious" said Grexo
/ laughing in bored manner. 81 thiI
I'll go to the shop myself and have
I look at him. Good day"
The more Paul thought of the episot
II Of the brooch the stranger it SCENE
J. and Sylyia's talk of her fathers que
VI habits did not make Paul wonder Il
IS less. However, he resolved to write
his mother and was just mounting b
+ stairs to do SO when he heard "B,
pardon, sir" and beheld the workin
ID man, bag of tools, pipe and all.
lie BEG pardon, SIR said the M,
III civilly, "but that gentleman you w
a attacking to-know his name, sir?"
rs "JEhat tho dpyirS tbnt RI Won -, ne