Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-11-27

Sn1ttlng greens anu DrOWnS Inc SnoTe.
Along the deserted beach and through
the empty streets Autumn swished her
rustling skirts with no one to heed her
passing-no one. at least, save a solitary
man who, having escaped at length
from the stern dictates of 1.-The law"
had come to Surfside for few weeks
freedom. Leaning over the fence
which skirted the path around the
rocky coast, he Sazed dreamily out to
sea, following the ragged outline of
the shore and breathing in the salt Of
the ocean with the sweetness Of the
earth beneath him.
Suddenly fresh cut in the weather
worn rail caught his eye. H. T.. w,
OH Some one beside himself had
| the season. ''W.-'04?" he Queried.
| ''Wellesleyw He had it! For was not
| a knife blade broken off half short in
| the wood, an indisputable evidence of
| woman's work?
80" he unused, Il am not to be
after ALL" He started to move on.
| Again he was arrested, this time by Il
| small. bright object at his feet. 1t
| proved to be Wellesley class pin.
Lost it while she was carving her
name with that dolls knife, l s'pose,"
Van Dyke argued to himself. as was
| his legal habit fastening the pin mean
while to his vest beneath his own
Harvard pin.
Strolling on, he renewed his ac
| quaintance with one after another of
the favorite haunts of his boyhood-
! Swallows cave" the rock that boom
| ed like a cannon at high tide and in
Vulnerable cozy retreats to be gained
by careful climbing over the chaos of
big powders on the cliffs. He whis
| tied like boy as he went and sang
snatches of the college songs so fresh
in his heart At last, in utter aban-
donment, he curled up in the lee of an
overhanging rock and, sOothed by the
lull of the waves and the minor wall of
the October wind. fell asleep.
He was awakened in a curious man
ner Opening his eyes, he found them
covered with a soft transparent some
thing that wrinkled when he winked.
He raised his hand to remove 1t and
gazed in establishment upon his sudden
acquisition of a wOman's handker-
chief. A monogram was embroidered
In one corner. His logical mind deci-
phered 1t in a flash with little expend,
iture of eye strain.
Exhibit c." he murmured, jump.
j ing up eagerly, "Now, here's hoping
for the lady herself"'
But the most searching scrutiny of
rocky nests" and inches failed to dis
cover her. Indeed, after several days
of faithful explorations Van Dyke be
gan to think his lady of the mono
grams teasing myth.
Nevertheless he would have contin
ued to hope for her realization if q
letter from his sister had not put O
cruel end to his romance.
Dear Richard it ran. 81 have JUS
learned that Helen Tudor, a college
friend of mine, is staying at Surfsidt
with her mother. She's a very clever
girl; has just written remarkable
tneSiS vi Solle ledIHeu SUBJECT anu go
an A. NJ degree. You ought to like
her She's your kind. Be sure to lool
: her up. I've written her you're goin;
to. She's staying at the Sea Cliff
; That dished the whole thing Hi!
kind" indeed! He abominated blue
stocking" SO he fought shy of the Sc;
= Cliff and ceased to look for III. T.. W.
o. In his daily rambles.
But with the proverbial irony accred
tied to her Dame Fate as soon as sh,
perceived Richards back turned upol
her bobbed up in front of him mos
unexpectedly, or, to be strictly accu
rate. Richard to his own astonishmen
bobbed up in front of her.
With characteristic alacrity he ha,
| taken a handspring over jutting rocl
and landed in secluded niche below
z His sudden appearance so frightene,
d the young person curled up in it tina
S she dropped her book into a pool O
water.
II beg your pardon" Richard blurt
ed out. Let me get it for you" CIT
probably dry enough to he proc
It against wetting" was his menta
Il comment) Il hope it isn't injured ia
tally" he added aloud. handing tn
: water soaked volume to it's owner
who. he was surprised to notice. wa
L a dimpled. rosy checked young womal
Il with mischievous eyes.
:, Goodness, / hope notr' was her EN-
S phatic reply. II couldn't go to sleel
! tonight If l didn't find out how tn
e story ended"
S "Fiction?" queried Richard cautious
d ly.
ell Eyes, of course. What else doe
o one read on a vacation?"
81 Now, here was an incongruity t
ponder over-he hadn't fancied tina
y H. T., W., o." would like fiction. Blu
he would not be misled. ION q vaca
tion," she had said. Doubtless the res
Of the year she gave up to more soli
literary accomplishments.
y Realizing that he was expected t
II say something, although he had quit
st forgotten that her last remark ha
" hpen in fho form of a o11eStion Rict