Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-08-25

| me tomorrow, think, If were to con-
| sent. 1t isn't that. 1t would not be
right for me to consent. You profess
to love me. 1 have seen it in your eyes
oh, 1 have learned much OF men In
| the past few months-and determined
| il you ever asked me to marry you to
| ask a question in return. Do you real
| " know who ami"
| He looked his surprise. "Why, the
| daughter of David Gable, of course"
"No; am not his daughter"
His stepdaughter!"
"Not even that. You come from
proud southern family. I do not know
who my parents We're"
Good heaven. you-you don't mean
you were q waltz"
"a waif without name. Lieutenant
Bray. This is not self abasement; it
is not the parading of misfortune. 1t
is because you have made the mistake
Of loving me. If you care less for me
now than you did before you will
spread this information throughout the
army"
believe me, am not that Sort
"Thank you. knowing what you
now do, could you ask me to be your
| wife?'
Don't put it just that way" he
stammered.
"Ah, I see. 1t was a cruel question.
And yet it proves that you do not love
as Graydon Bansemer loves"
"Some day you may find out all
about your parents and be happy. You
may have been abducted and he
was saying. his face white and set.
Somehow he felt that he was chasten-
Ing himself.
Perhaps" she said quietly. 81
might not have told you this had not
the story been printed in every news
paper in the States just before l left
You see, did not know it until just a
few months ago. l thought you might
have read of me, II am SO notori-
GUS"
"Jane, dear Jane, you must not feel
that wayy' he cried as she started
quickly away. ITS But she turned
and motioned for him to cease. There
we're tears in her eyes. He stood stock
STILL "She's wonderful he said to
himself as she walked away. Even
now / believe l could Pshaw. II
ought not to make any difference. If
it wasn't for my family What's in a
name anyway? A name He started
to answer his own question, but halt
ed abruptly, squared his shoulders and
then, with true southern. military
bearing, strobe away, murmuring:
"a name is something; yes, family is
everything"
Jane went at once to Graydon. His
great gray eyes smiled glad wei.
come. She took his hand in hers and
sat upon the ground beside him
watching his face until they were
ready to resume the journey.
would 1t not be better if he were tc
die?' she found herself wondering
with strange Inconsistency to her pur
pose. why could it not have been ]
instead of he? How hard it will be fol
us to live after this! Dear. dear Gray
don, Tiff 1 only were different from
what am"
Not word of his fathers conduct
toward her, not word Of blame fol
the blow his father had struck. She
held him to no account for the base
ness of that father. Only did she hole
herself unfit to be his wife.
Fortune and strength went hand IL
hand for the next two days, and the
famished, wornout company came t.
the coast. The wounded men wer,
half delirious once more for lack OF
proper attention and the hardships Of
travel. But the iii wind had spent it:
. force. Bray's instructions We're II
place his charges on board ship a
San Fernando de Union and thel
: await further orders in the little coas
town. 1t meant goodby to Jane, ant
, that meant more to him than he wa
willing to admit despite all that sh
had said to him. He went to her wheI
{ the ship was ready to leave port.
"Goodby," he said. "Tm more griev
r ed than 1 can tell you, because be
+ lieve you think 1 am cad"
, Lieutenant Bray, cad never woult
e have helped me as you have helpe,
me in spite of yourself. Goodbye
He went out of her life in that mo
. | ment.
r There were vexatious delays, how
: ever, before sailing. Almost at the las
e moment Jane was approached by TIE
resa VelasqueZ, now partly dressed a
Y Red Cross nurse. The Spanish cir
a was nervous and uneasy. Her darl
|: eyes held two ever changing lights
j one somber, the other bright and pierc
e ing.
/. 81 have decided to wait for the mex
/ Ship" she announced briefly.
n "You are not going with us?" erie
u Jane in surprise and distress. "Wha
1 has ,happenedw
k st is impossible. / cannot go wit
1 you. Pray do not ask for my reason
i Goodby. Will you say goodby tot
It him for me?'
f Jane was silent for long time
t studying the eyes of the Spanish girl.
n ST think I understand" she said a
!. last, taking Tcresa's hands in hers.
e at is better that it be ended here,
t said Teresa. Il have endured 1t as lon
\ as / can. You have been good to me
and want to say goodby while Their
n is love for you in my heart. I ar