Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-15


quivered under the misery Of it and he
turned to the curtained window. hands
clinching convulsively and teeth set to
force back the strangling agony In his
throat And the dreadful part of it all
was that her appearance had remained
unchanged-unless, perhaps, she was
prettier, lovelier of face and figure than
ever before.
Thinking Of these things now, he
leaned heavily forward, elbows on the
little table. And suddenly unbidden
before his haunted eyes rose the white
portico of Silverside, and the green
sward glimmered, drenched in sun
shine, and slim figure in white stood
there, arms bare, tennis bat swinging
in one tanned little hand.
Happily for Eileen. happily for him,
alas, love in its full miracle had re-
manned beyond her comprehension.
That she cared for him with all her
young heart he knew; that she had not
come to love him he knew too. So that
browning misery of happiness was
spared him. Yet he knew, too, that
there had been chance for him; that
her awakening had not been wholly
| impossible.
And now. leaning there, his face
buried in his hands, hours that he
spent with her came crowding back
upon him, and in his ears her voice
| echoed and echoed, and his hands trem,
| bled with the scented memory of her
| touch, and his soul quivered and cried
| out for her.
Storm after storm swept him, and in
| the tempest he abandoned reason,
blinded, stunned, crouching there with
head lowered and his clinched hands
| across his face.
| But storms, given right of way, pass
| on and over. and tempests sweep hearts
| cleaner, and after long while he lift
| ed his bowed head and sat up, SQuar-
| ing his shoulders.
| Presently he picked up his pipe again,
held it moment, then laid it aside.
| Then he leaned forward, breathing
deeply, but quietly, and picked up a
| pen and sheet of paper, for the time
had come for his letter to her, and he
was ready.
The letter he wrote was one of those
gay, cheerful, inconsequential letters
which from the very beginning of
their occasional correspondence had
| always been to her most delightful
an easy, light hearted letter, ending
in MESA ges to all and frank regret
that the pursuit of business and hap
piness appeared incompatible at the
| present moment.
His address, he wrote, was his club
He sent her, he said. under separate
cover, a rather interesting pamphlets
monograph on the symbolism displayed
by the designs in Samarkand rugs an6
textiles of the Ming dynasty. And he
ended, closing with gentle jest con
corning bluestockings and rebellious
locks of rudy hair.
And signed his name.
Nina and Eileen, in travelling gown:
and wells, stood on the porch at Silver
side, waiting for the depot wagon
when Selwyns letter was handed t.
Eileen.
The girl flushed up, then, avoidin:
Nina's eyes, turned and entered til,
house Once out of sight, she swift!
mounted to her own room and dropped
GREATNESS, on the bed, tearing the en-
velope from end to end. And from
end to end and back again and owe
again she read the letter-at first il
expectancy, lips parted, color brilliant
then with the smile still curving he
cheeks, but less genuine now, almos
mechanical until the smile stampet
on her stiffening lips faded and tn
soft contours relaxed, and she LITE,
her eyes, staring into space with
wistful, questioning lift of the pur
brows
What more had she expected? wha
more had she desired? What was sh
seeking there that he had left unwrii
, ten? What was she searching for Q
which there was not one hint in a
= these pages?
! And now Nina was calling her fror
! the hall below, and she answered gay
: ly and, hiding the letter in her Ion
glove, came down the stairs.
"I'll tell you all about the letter i
| the Train, she SAID. lie is per10ctl
r well and evidently quite happy, ant
: | Nina
what, dear?"
o 81 want to send him a telegram
O May To-
4 "a dozen If you WISH" said Mr.
a Gerard, "only if you don't climb int
that vehicle We'll miss the train"
Y So on the way to Wyossett static
@ Eileen sat very still, gloved hand
v folded in her lap, composing her tel,
e gram to Selwyn. And once in the st,
Il ton. having it by heart already, sh
g wrote it rapidly:
e Nina and are on our way to the Berl
\ shires for week. House party at II
Craigs'. We stay overnight in town.
E. e.
But the telegram went to his clu
and waited for him there, and meal
= while another telegram arrived at b
II lodgings signed by a trained nurs
i And while Miss Enroll in the big, di
+ mantled house lay in holland eovere
armchair waiting for him, while Nil
r, and Austin reading their evening d
y pers, exchanged significant glanc,