Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-08
Il think So" he said.


Why" she demanded, astonished. |
Evidently she had expected another
answer.
He made no reply, and she lay back
among the cushions considering what |
he had said, the flush of surprise still |
lingering in her cheeks.
How can l marry you," she asked, |
"when l would-would not c;fre to en-
dure "a caress from any man. even |
from you? It-such things-would !
spoil 1t all. don't love you that way. |
Oh, don't look at me that way. Have
1 hurt you, dear Captain Selwyn? i
did not mean to. Oh. what has be-
come of our happiness? What has be-
come of it?" And she turned, full
length in the swing and hid her face
in the silken pillows.
He looked down at her, slowly real
izing that it was a child he still was
dealing with-a child with a child's in
nocence, repealed by the graver phase
of love. unresponsive to the deeper
emotions, bewildered by the glimpse
of the mature role his attitude had
compelled her to accept. That she al
ready had reached that milestone and
for a moment had turned involuntarily
to look back and find her childhood al
ready behind her frightened her.
Thinking perhaps of his own years
and of what lay behind him, he sighed
and looked out over the waste of moor
land where the Atlantic was battering
the sands of Surf point. Then his pa
tent gaze shifted to the east, and he
saw the surface of Sky pond, blue as
the eyes Of the girl who lay crouching
in the cushioned corner of the swing
ing seat, small hands clinched over
| the handkerchief, limp bit of stuff
damp with her tears.
There Is one thing" he said. that
we mustn't do-cry about it, must we,
| EileenT'
MOO"
He was silent, and presently she
said, 1.-THE reason of ft-my crying
Is b-b-because l don't wish you to be
unhappy"
'.But. dear. dear little girl, am not"
"ReallyY'
"No, indeed. why should be? You
do love me, don't you"
| "You know 1 do" .,,.s-.Ssf:M;2sss
"But not in that way
"N-no; not in that way. ! w-wish I
did"
A thrill passed through him. After
a moment he relaxed and leaned for
ward, his chin resting on his clinched
hands. Then let us go back to the
old footing, Eileen"
"Can weT'
Eyes, we can, and we will-back to
the old footing when nothing of deeper
sentiment disturbed us. You SNOW
how it is. A man who is locked up in
paradise is never satisfied until he
can climb the wall and look over
Now 1 have climbed and looked, and
now / climb back into the garden of
your dear friendship, very glad to be
there again with you-very, very thank
full, dear. Will you welcome me back !?
She lay quite still minute, then sat
up straight, stretching out both hands
to him, her beautiful, fearless eyes
brilliant as rain washed stars.
"Don't go away" she said. "Don't
ever go away from our garden again"
mo. Eileen
} "Is 1t a promise-Philip"
Her voice fell exQuisitely low.
"Yes, a promise. Do you take m,
back, Eileen"
Eyes, take you. Take me back, too
Philip" Her hands frightened in his
she looked up at him, faltered, waited
then in a fainter voice: "And-and b.
Of g-good courage. IL am not yer.
old yet"
| An hour later, when Nina discovere'
them there together, Eileen, curled u
among the cushions in the swinging
seat, was reading aloud Evidences o
| Asiatic Influence on the Symbolism o
Ancient Yucatan," and Selwyn, astrid
chair, chin on his folded arms, wa
I listening with evident rapture.
y