Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-05-18

Her alleged reasOn-that she was
tired of civiliza ton and hungered for
primitive eXperience-was termed sheer
madness. Yet there was no one to hold
her back. She was fatherless and
motherless and perforce self support
Ing.
For the next two years there We're
two very small institutions in the Lone
Star State that prospered amazingly.
One was forlerR one room school
house, the other a pocket handkerchief
ranch which surrounded brave but
unpretentiouS little bungalow. In both
daily miracles We're happening. The
schoolhouse knew all about the bunga-
low, but the latter had never guessed
the existence of its wide awake nei gh-
Dor to the west.
And when Il letter arrived there one
summer morning announcing that FL
sic Reynolds was passing through Tex
as on her way east and if convenient
would like to stop off for few days to
visit old friends the bungalow opened
wide its doors and windows with as
constituent and let the sun in like some
cheer its lonely heart.
During the days that must pass be-
fore she should come all was one busy
whirl of anticipation. To Gilbert
Chandler and his sister the actual pres
ence of friend from their old aban-
doned world would seem nothing short
of a glimpse of heaven.
Arrayed in its sudden acquisition of
muslin ruffles and chintz flowers and
quite consciously proud of its honey
| suckle perfume. the little house fiut-
tered ard beamed with expectation.
At last the great day arrived. Gil
bert rose early. his Drowned face ra-
diant with happiness. saddled the two
horses and went to meet her.
The ride back over the rolling prairie.
| which for each of them held it's special
| meaning. was tremulous with things
unspoken From full hearts little save
| commonplaces reached the lips.
| "You have been travelling, Elsie?'
| 81 traveling?' She laughed back at
him merrily. NO; same old story, Gil
bert-teaching''
| But you're brown as Mexican. and
you don't look the least bit tagged.
though that's damning you with faint
praise" he added, looking at her with
very frank admiration. Where have
| you been teaching?"
| "Oh, let's skip sordid Details" Elsie
| answered evasively. Don't you love
this country?"
i Gilbert followed her gaze out over
the luxuriant wealth of grassy mead
! ows and beyond to the high, grim
mountains.
i YES" he answered Loyalty: IT az
love it. 1t has given me back my life.'
To Elsie it seemed as if her heart
must cry out and demand the whole
| truth
4 DO you mean that you are reaIly
i we'll and strong again or merely tina
you are grateful just to be alive?" was
the question that begged to be asked
but she forced it back relentlessly.
Gilbert himself broke the tense 81
lence between them.
'See, there's the shack" he said joy
ously. indicating the little gray bunga
low set cozily in its frame of orchard
green.
| Elsie gave a cry of delight. put hel
horse to the gallop and rode straigh
and fast toward the open door.
4 The rest of that light hearted, SUI
filled day passed like flash. At til;
end of it, however. came the inevita
bic moment when confidence and til,
exchange of mutual experiences ant
future hopes would no longer be denied
expression.
Gilbert watched Elsie's dark heat
resting against the vine covered pos
as she sat on the log steps of til