Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-05-16
She Hrgus Daily Short Story
Taking Advantage of Leap Year."-By Anne Hei1man.
Copyrighted 1908, Associated Literary Press)

Of course that put her out'n his reach
for good. He's too proud a man to live
on his wife's money. It's a dreadful
pity, though, for If ever two people
were cut out for each other Just
then she turned her head and saw
Dora Wright walking up the path.
For the land sakes alive" ejaculat-
ed Mrs. Watson. This amt never
you! How glad I am to see you, an
how we'll you're lookfn'!'
Considerable time was consumed in
congratulations and explanations. Then
Mrs. Watson hurried upstairs to see
about room for her unexpected guest.
and Dora went into the parlor end
seated herself beside Mr.. Langdon.
Have you missed me. Robert?" she
asked. ses
Missed you?" echoed Largdon. he
thought how intensely he had missed
her. How, during the two months of
her absence, he had longed for the
sound of her voice, the merry laugh in
her eyes!
Its like a dream to have you sit
ting beside me, Dora. don't under
stand it. For the first time In years
you had got comfortably away from
the everlasting grind and were free to
spend your, time as you liked. yet here
you are back again in the hot. dusty
city in the middle of August. Now
Dora, what's the reason?"
well, one of the reasons is that this
talk about money making You free is
all nonsense. Money made me slave
for two months. Instead of doing what
l wanted l had to do what anybody
else wanted.
Il had to be outdoors when was
cold and indoors when was hot
had to sit through two hour dinners
every night and eat things | detested.
I had to dance when l was tired and
| listen to poor music and go into costa
ties over execrable singing when
was sleepy and my head ached. had
to ride in automobiles and go yachting.
A yacht always makes me sick, and
you know what | think of automo-
| biles."
| Mr.. Langdon did not seem properly
| impressed, so Dora continued in an
aggrieved voice:
| Il spent hours racing around with
| golf sticks when I'd much rather sit
It's very well to do what you dislike
| If you're accomplishing anything, but
| all this activity was accomplishing
nothing except spelling my temper
and making me thin. But You haven't
said yet that you were glad to see me-
Robert"
Langdon's look of alteration seemed
to be nothing more than she expected
| Eyes. Dora. am glad,'' he said sim
| ply. II thought you had forgotten
me. didn't blame you,;' he continued
hastily as she made a dissenting ges
ture. Il was glad to think that at las,
you were enjoying what your beauty
and your nature entitled you to and
that your brave conduct in adversely
was being properly rewarded. But
why did you come back here; Dora
Why did you come back to this dreary
manufacturing town when you had the
whole world to choose from?"
Dora looked intently at him while he
was speaking. She noted the streak:
of gray in his well kept hair. the sac
droop of the patient mouth, the many
lines around his tired eyes.
For more reasons than or e~ / knew
you needed looking after. Robert.
knew you Were lonely and working
hard In order to forget | knew yor
were tired and that your eyes Were
used up. l knew you felt the hea
more than ever and wouldn't take an.
refreshing trolley rides out into The
breezy country or go on any coy littl.
picnics without your old friend. Nov
I'm going to inveigle you out ever,
afternoon aud well read our fayorit,