Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-01

down the avenue with the remnants of
her happiness under his arm.
She stood an instant in the hallway.
Then, realizing that her chill was most
ly physical, she rang for lights and
went upstairs. The door of her aunt's
room was partly open, and the ruddy
glow of the log fire tempted her to
/ enter The mound of shawls and rugs
, on the couch i'm the corner indicated
] that the worthy lady had not Weakened
, from her afternoon nap.
| Nina sat down on hassock and
gazed into the fire. Now that she had
taken such a radical step, doubts be-
gan to torment her. Had she been i'm
patient? Should she have waited
little longer? Indignation gradually
gave way to self pity, and tears rolled
down her cheeks.
Nina, is that you? What is the
matter, dear? Are you sick?'
She jumped up quickly and dashed
TIE tears from her eyes, but the room
was dark, and her aunt could not see
her face.
NO, indeed Not sick, only cold,
dear. The house is like ice, and it
looked so warm and coy in here 1
came in to dream for few minutes
| before dressing for dinner"
"Oh. dear. it must be the new fur
mace, Nina. 1t has not worked prop
erly since your uncle had it put in.
Would you mind calling them up now
before you dress? There's a dear.
Leave word for them to send some one
the first thing in the morning?"
81 80. Of
LET me see Van Norton & Hemp
hill. believe. Yes, that Is 1t, am
sure"
why, that is Rewards firm" said
Nina unsteadily.
as that so? Mercy, child, that draft
e is unbearabe! Please hurry and close
the door,"
Hello"
i "IIello. Is that Van Norton & Hemp
:. hils?"
4 Yes
I Her heart leaped. The voice was
t Towards. she was sure. So she had
h been right. after all. He was back.
;, His only possible excuse was nil. But
e he would find her note and package
when he got home.
e This is the residence of Mr.. j. Lam
n bert Brown. Fiftieth street"
C Every well. l have it, thank you"
Ell Yes, it was Howard. She could
{ scarcely speak.
@ THE house-that is-the furnace is
d that is to say-oh. She shiSered
and started determinedly all over
/ again. Hello. Is that Van Norton &
G Hemphills?"
n "Yes. this is the same place" in an
a amused tone. "Is there anything / can
If do for you, madam"
I'll 1.-THE house is freezing. The new fur
g mace is not working right at all. Please
send a man the first thing in the morn
ing to fix it. I-we-I am SO cold now
can hardly talk"
Hearing a subdued laugh, she snap
ned up the receiver. The idea! Then 1t
10 occurred to her that he likely would
IT not dream it was she. There were so
e many Browns in town; besides, she
is thought bitterly, he had evidently for
IS gotten all about the address she had
sent him.
The small lace handkerchief refused
:" to absorb any more moisture, and a
n great stamping in the vestibule an
g nounced the arrival of her uncle. Nina
is few to the icy solitude Of her room
g and after doctoring her tear stained
,r features with cold water and talcum
"a managed to get into some evening
O. clothes plus warm opera cloak In
At time for dinner.
IS That night she slept very little. One
IN minute she blamed herself for being so
At precipitate; the next she reproached
a him for his seeming Indifference. She
q had been so sure he would hurry to her
i, the minute he got her letter, but his
;, boat had been in three days and still
= no sign from him.
!, At last she fell asleep. 1t seemed to
- her that she had been DOING just a
minute when she was awakened by a
. violent hammering in her room. She
a. sat up in bed and shivered. The win
" dow pane above the shutters was still
black. She reached out and switched
Vi on the electric light. It was not
O'clock.
l. Again that awful hammering, then a
raucous scraping in the direction Of
the register. She made face and COW
" cred her ears Then all was quiet for
l awhile, and Nina snuggled under the
covers. All at once a metallic voice
came up through the tube from the
- cellar.
Now. you see, O'Brien. it will all
have to come out. The unlerfeed is
not right" Nina sat bolt upright again,
her eyes staring wildly in the darkness.
1t was Towards voice. Then followed
a few orders about valves, drafts and
gauges, which she did not understand
In the least, but It was a voice she
could listen to forever. She forgot
about the cold.
Now, O'Brien, you go and get the
tools and bring Mason along with YOU
l an going to stay here a minute and
look things over. 1t has to be done
right this time. This is nice condi
tion to find things in the very day