Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-05-30

aIeu SKIN, ana a grateful look he gave
her was her comfort and her hope, as
she left him to fight his own battle
with his shirt and set herself to pull
ing down the brushwood fence. a |
breach was easily and not nOisily |
made, and both moon and stars were |
still crisp in the sky when Tom pain |
fully followed the girls lead and the |
two plunged together into the open
bush
"Djue east repeated Peggy, stop
ping in the first thcket. Dye know
| the Southern Cross now? I'm afther
| misrememberin' it mesclf."
i TIP yondcr. Peggy. Those five
can as like a cross as han saw.
But AS ye know I We can steer due
| east by t. an d iue east lies the say.
| If you're wantn' wather on the way,
let the Southern Cross shine in your
| face. al thatil bring We to the river.
| heard EN- say so as ! waited table
| Il know. Peggy. | know. And when
I get To the sea- if ever | do-wcll. at
/ least my bones can sleep in it. instead
of in this pestiIPnt land"'
He stood eying her, eager to he
gone. and yet reluctant to show un-
grateful haste.
An why would they" cried Peggy
It's nanny a convict has escaped OH
RATS before ye. so why wouldn't youE
Only fetch up wild the say an there's
hope
Then. Peggy. there's no time 10
lose" And his hand was out in an in
slant.
"Ah. then. Tom. an must he LAWN
ye:"
Her voice was altered.
This is not the way to Castle Sulli-
van. Peggy. It's the very opposite di-
rection. And I've got you into trou-
BILE enough. goodness knows"
Her lips parted as though more ar
gIlments were on her tongue. But 1t
was upon his white face the moon
was shining. and his eagerneSS to go
and go alone was now transparent.
They have made yOu crule. ToIn."
said Peggy, with n sudden sad dignity.
"Goodby. Go your ways. God bless
you
Cruel to you?" he said denSely
| eS. cFnie 10 ne-tO me llaJ bTouSnt
ye mate and dhrinli. to me that d
But what can do?" he asked her
In the same dull tone Il am grateful
to you with all the heart they've left
me. but they tried their best TO cut it
ont. and | believe they have. Make
allowances for me. Peggy. and only
tell me what can do
Take me wild ye, Tom" she whis-
pered.
"To the sea-"
An further"
My dear how can I? If they fol
low me alone, can fight them alone
until drop and die. With you
couldn't"
can wouldn't we dhrop and die to
gether?''
And now there We're tears in hor
voice that held his own tongue bOTnC
| and now a light in her eyes that shot
, | ray through his brain at last. He
understood and waited for his hear
to bleed for her When it would not ;
, great groan came frcm his soul.
II can't help it. Peggy" he mumhleC
I'm his shame. Its as you say
They've cut my heart out-Cct 1t cleal
out, they have-and cruel brute is al
can ever lie now. Forgive me. III,
Cirl-and let me go. Never think twic
about me- I'm not worth it-a brut
, like me! Feggy-Peggy
He had tried in his weakness to pu
his arms about her upon an impulse o
pure sorrow and gratitude that flick
| crcl within him like the last pmher II
a fire. And the convict girl had turne'
so fiercely that her black hair sweep
and stung his face as she broke ava
, from him once and for all. He say
her bare feet flashing in the moor
light; they fell too softly for his ears
=, But he heard her sObbing as she raj
:. and he pitied himself the more pas
sionately for the little he found 1t 1
q him to pity her.