Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-03

over her. ANXIOUS eyed, she noted the
pallor of the childlike face, the melan-
choly expression that had come to be
habitual. She fretted over the spare
ness of the younger. girl, who ate only
when she was urged. If, stated with
sleep. Marylyn moved in the night.
Dallas aroused on the instant and hoy
cred beside her
At last, thoroughly alarmed, the elder
girl determined to follow out the idea
that had occurred 70 her in midwin-
Ter. What did it matter how hard and
hateful the duty would be? What did
ier own hidden feelings matter? She
would appeal to Lounsbury in Der sis
ter's behalf.
But time passed without bringing her
the opportunity, and it was borne in
upon her finally that LounSbury III cant
to remain away, perhaps until he was
hidden to come. Undaunted, she made
plans to waylay him on the coulee
road. Resting the Sharps across her
arm, she set out. morning or afternoon,
| on Il long jaunt.
But Lounsbury was not met. On
| one such rambIe, however, an incident
| occurred that was far reaching if not
| fatal in its results. She was going
homeward slowly when she saw APP
preaching an ambulance from Brannon
| drawn by n four mule team. She
started timidly aside, then paused.
| The vehicle was filed with ladies. \
| half dozen who were talking and laugh
ing merrily occupied the lengthwise
seats OF the carriage. One sat beside
| the driver Dallas put herself in thelr
| path and waited.
How often she had watched these
| same ladies cantcr out of post on
| their horseback rides, officers attend
| ing them, or seen them make a rollick-
| ing walking party to the bluff top
| And she had pictured how some day
| they would be ferried TO the bend
| They could not have heard how heI
| father talked. If they had. they would
| not blame her II they passed her
| they would smile and bow, maybe stOL
| TO speak.
| She was all aglow now. The am
| bulaHce rolled near. 1t was closed OIL
| its Sides and the women within could
not see her. The woman on the seat
| pretty, slender, daintily clad, did. Dial
| las leaned forward eagerly, face flush
| ed, eyes shining
The woman also leaned forward ant
| looked Dallas up and down searching
| ", coldly. Her lips We're set in +;
sheer. Her eyes frowned. Then the
1 In, o.+I al IL
! driver catching at a leader with hi:
| whip.
| "WhO's that, Mrs. Cummings?" Tit
women in the rear of the vehicle were
peering out.
Mrs. Cummings answered over he
shoulder, why, it's the Pillow Wo
man."
There were "Ohs" and "Ahs" and
laughter.
The girl by the roadside heard
Sighted, rebuffed, wounded to til,
quick, she stumbled homeward, he
sight blinded by tears.
She did not wait for Lounsbur.
again. Once she thought of writin:
him, of summoning him through a not
| 5LNCh NAlliCJy Dulp lCNdllllls
her fathers treatment of the store
keeper, she questioned if the latte
would heed her message. She fel
herself isolated, but no hint of he
/, bitterness was allowed to reach Mary
, Ign. The younger girl knew onl,
bright words and unceasing, unselfisl
care.
= For thing JlnlloC 6nnhl
, Observation-Disclosures did not troubl
; the shack. David Bond had told he
| that when the troops left for the sum
mer campaign the interpreter woul
} ride with them, the evangelist bein
retained at the fort to fill the other
place. The latter declared that, by tn
pilots report, Lounsbury's name mad
Matthews "lay back his ears bu
that he no longer stormed about los
| ing the claim.
, And now came the warm days--day
in swift, sweet contrast to those jus
! gone. Sun and shower banded til
sky with triple arcs of promise. Tn
: robins arrived, a plump and sauc
crew. Bent bill curlews stalked abou
uttering wild and mellow calls. TIL
jewellers of the grouna threw up fires
dirt around their burrows. The mars
, violets opened pale lilac cups, and tn
very logs of the shack put forth an
bilious sprigs, so that from the froI
the grotesque head displayed bristl
of green whisker. The prairie wa
: awake, blood and soil and sap.
Ben and Betty showed their hig
spirits with comical sporting. Til
: mules frolicked together, pitching hin
/ quarters, rearing to box and nippin
at Simon. Fully as gay was he, thong
his shaggy TANKS were gaunt. II
played at goring them or frisked
ungainly circles. Occasionally, how
ever, he gave signs of Ill humor, low
cred his broad horns threatening
even at Dallas, paved up the me-
grown grass and charged to and fl
d. on the bend, his voice lifted in hoars
7 challenge.
o On the little family the light, I'll
warmth and added duties wrought
j good effect. Lancaster's grumblin
! lessened, and he helped to plant som