Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-06-15

and this is the hole that I'm in-either
the Fawcetts leave this day month.
when | shall want them most. or |
must apply for convict woman. and
God knows what kind they'll send me-
Now, il you applied for a wife you'd
have your pick and choose Il decent
one, and. as | say. there's no earthly
reason why you should ever marry her."
surely it would he unfair not to-"
objected Tom, who would have used
a stronger adjective to anybody else.
Unfair on the girl? Not ut all.
You simply let her OFF Il blind bargain,
and she gains good wages and a com
Portable home. The girl comes out of
it deuccd well, the officials are none
the wiser and none the worse. while
have the advantage OF your selection
instead of theirs
Il might make Il bad choice
'Oh, if you want to keep OGt of IT.
cried Daintree keep out of it and re-
fuse me the first favor I've ever asked
you to do me. | shall know better
than to ask another. Only in future
let me hear less of your gratitude till
you've some to show"
Tom consented without further words.
He diSlikcd the plan as cordially rs he
resented the outrageous tone adopted
by Daintree. but he would submit &c
both sooner than deny the man tc
whom he owed more than he could
even yet realize.
Meanwhile the necessary letters. IT,
which the convict applied for Il wife
and the master undertook to support
her. We're written. the one with secret
| adherence, the other with Il sinister
| guStO. Next day Tom received his or.
der to the matron of the factory to
supply him with wife and started III
| the early morning following on an e.
rand which his whole soul repudiatei.
You are to take her back with YOU
said the woman. having read her let
| ter. land to be married from your mas.
ter's house"
Tom found Peggy O'Brien and select.
| cd her. By noon she was Il compare
| lively free woman. Alas, she was an
rmutterably happy one. ...
Her arm stole within Toms as he
| drove He had neither the courag.
nor the heart 10 tell her the truth out
right. 1t was Il cruel position for them
both. He glanced with horror at hel
radiant face, and again he noticed hen
hair
! "Where's it all gone to, pcggy?" he
asked, pointing TO the short strong
locks What have you done with itT
They had reached the outskirts OF
Parramatta New buildings were
springing up in every direction. anC
Peggy jerlied her head toward som,
scaffoldings.
as it where me hairs gomez she
said, with laugh. "McDbe there,
some of t there" .
"Where, Peggy"
"In them new buildin's, like ia not
An didn't We hear they strengthen tn,
morthar wild the hair of the women:
heads? IT'S tlrue. then, in Parramat
Ia. An it's mighty kind they thinl
themselves to give Us the razor instiC
o the cat But ,Blerc's their bricks an
mOrthar if they bet u.s."
They used that glorious hair 70
bricks and mortar"
His praise of it was dearer far thai
her possession. She cOlored with prid
and happiness as she told him it hap
pened long ago when first she cam
there.
but why I'D it happen?" he asko,
Indignantly. What could you hay
done to deserve such treatment?"
She hesitated and squeezed his arm.
Nat Sullivan came
NAT Sullivan
IAN | was to swear whether or nc
you were one of the bushrangerS, $
you may think what | swore. an h
said I was Il liar. an | struck IN in tn
face wild me open hand, an they shay
ed me for that"
Tom felt miserable. She had SUI
fercd FOR him all along. How coul
he tell her he was deceivin% her no'
and had no intention of marrying he
at all? Not one word of that had pas!
ed her modest lips. yet the pressure {
her hOmely hand was eloquent wit
love and joy. What could he dc
! What could he say! For miles he ne,
er opened his lips; they We're tigl
, shut when she glanced at him and Ii
=, face SO wretched that at last she coul
bear it no longer.
what is it, dear?" she asked hi
|