Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-09-26
CHAPTER MI.

ITONtl 10 COuIdin Joyful news. NIL
BeecOt thanked heaven that Paul was
not such a fool as he had been of yOrc
and limited that this sudden access of
sense which had led him TO engage
himself to Il wealthy girl had come
from his father and not from his
mother. He-BeecOt Senior-waS aware
that Paul had acted badly and had not
remembered what was due to the best
of fathers, but since he was prepared
to settle down with Il rich wife, Beecot
senior nobly fOrgave the past and
PauPs many delnquencies mentioned
in detaiD and would be glad to vel
come his daughter-in-law Then Bee
cot becoming the tyrant again, insist
ed that the marriage should take place
in WargrOve and that the fact of
Sylvia's father being murdered should
be suppressed. In fact. the old gen
tleman left nothing to the young couple,
but arranged everything in his own
selfish way, even to choosing. in War
grove. the house they would inhabit.
Paul, facing the situation, bravely
wrote to his father and explained how
the fortune had passed from Sylvia,
youth that he intended to marry the
girl all the same. If BeccCt senior, said
Paul, would permit the marriage and
allow the couple small income until
the husband could earn enough to keep
the pot boiling, the writer would be
grateful. If not, Paul declared firmly
that he would work like Il slave to
make a home for his darling. But
nothing in the world would make him
give up Sylvia.
AS Paul entered he heard n heavy
woman plunge down the stairs and
found his arm grasped by Deborah,
very red faced and very furious, the
moment he crossed the threshold Bart
could be heard knocking boxes togeth-
er in the cellar, as he was getting Deb
orah's belongings ready for removal
to Jubileetown, where the cottage and
the drying ground for the laundry had
already been secured through Pash.
But Paul had no time to ask what was
going on. A glance at the handmade
ems fearful face revealed that she
knew the worst, in which case Sylvia
must also have heard the news.
den Wilderness of Paul's cheeks and
shaking him SO much as to hurt his in
jured arm, she knows, she dO-Oh, Lor ,
bless us that things should come to
this-and there she's settin' a-crying
out hCr beautiful eyes for you, Mr.
Bceco,. Thinking of your throwin'
her a., and if you do shouted De-
hOrai "a another shake. you'd bet
ter L. rIa mashed to jelly than face
me a ug preSingt state. Seem you
iron ...n w'udcr | made bold to come
dow anal rrsk your intentings, for if
them dp mean no marriage and the
breakil off " prctty's cart, never
shall ST. SIC. yes agin on a double
faced JOAN. Hud-and''- Here Debo-
rah gaspcu i.r ...ath and again shook
Paul.
Deborah" a- said in a quiet voice,
releasing hims T., Il love Sylvia for
herself and not for her money!
Deborah threw her brawny arms in
the air and her apron over her red
head. Il llnowed it-oh, yuss, indeed
she sobbed in muffled tones.
81 see you know aTl," said Paul, as
soon as he could slip in a word.
know ALL" almost yelled Deborah,
dragging down the apron and reveal
ing flashing eyes, land it's mussy 1
amt in Old Bailey this very day for
scratching that monkey of a Pash. oh,
If I'd known wOt he wos, never should
he ave got me the laundry, though the
same may have to go, worse luck. Ho
yuSs, he come. and she come with her
Hitting, as is almost as big a cat as she
is. Mrs. Krill, bless her, oh. yuss. Mrs
Krill, the sneakin', smiling Jezebel"'
"Did she see Sylvan" asked Beecot
sharply.
"Yuss, she did" admitted Deborah
''me lettin' her in not KNOWN hel
scratchiRs. An the monkey an the
Hitting come, too. a-spyin' out the land
as you may say"
Paul nodded calling names won't
do any good, Deborah he said sadly
1--WE must do the best we can"
'"There amt no chance of the lawl
gettin' that woman to the CALLERS,
'spose, STRIP
''The woman is your late masters
lawful wife. Pash seems to think sc
and has gone over to the enemy"-here
Deborah clinched her mighty fists and
gasped.
Beecot was soon in the sitting room
and found Sylvia on the sofa. her face
buried in her hands. She looked III
when she recognized the beloved foot
steps and sprang to her feet. The
next moment she was sobbing hel
heart out on Paul's faithful breast
and he was comforting her with nj
the endearing names he could think of
''My own, my sweet, my dearest dar
ling" whispered Paul. smoothing the
pretty brown hair, don't weep. YoJ
have lost much, but You hav me-
Put Paul. though my mother MAY
not have been married 20 my father
"She was, Sylvia. but Mrs Krill wa'
married to him earlier. Your fathe
committed bigamy, and you, boo
child. have to pay the penalty"