Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-11-19
81 Younger Set
BY ROBERT w. CHAMBERS
Author Of THE Fighting Chance" Etc.
##as

dubbed up again. She was tired or
being good. She had often meant to
try the effect of a gentle shock on
Miss Enroll. and, besides, she wonder
ed just how much truth there might
be in the unpleasantly persistent ru-
NOR of the girls unannounced engage
ment TO Selwyn.
at would be amusing. wouldn't it?"
she asked. with guileless frankness.
"But. of course, 1t Is not true-this
report OF their reconciliation"
Whose reconciliation" asked MISS
Enroll innocently.
"Why, Alike Ruthven and Captain
Selwyn. Everybody is discussing it,
you know"
"Reconciledw I don't understand"
said Eileen. astonished. They can't
be. How cam
But it would be amusing, wouldn't
it? And she could very easily get rid
of Jack Ruthven. Any woman could.
So If they really mean to remar-
ry''-
The girl stared, breathless, astound-
ed, bolt upright in her saddle
"Oh,' she protested, while the hot
blood mantled throat and cheek, sit is
wickedly untrue! How could such q
thing be true, Mrs. Fame? 1t isis
so senSeleSS"
Miserably uncomfortable, utterly I'M
able to comprehend, the girl rode on in
silence. her ears ringing with Rosa
munds words. And Rosamund. riding
beside her, cool, blond and cynically
amused, continued the theme with ad-
mirable pretense of Indifference
ITS a pity that i'll natured people
are forever discussing them, and IL
makes me indignant, because I've al
ways been very fond of Alike Ruth
ven, and l am positive that she does
not correspond with Captain Selwyn.
A girl in her position would be crazy
to invite suspicion by doing the things
they say she is doing"
Don't, Mrs. Fame. please don't!'
stammered Eileen. II really can't
listen! l simply will not! If you
knew him as l do, Mrs. Fame, you
would never, never have spoken as
you haver'
Mrs. Fame relished neither the naive
rebuke nor the intimation that her own
acquaintance with Selwyn was so linn
tied, and least of all did she relish the
implied intimacy between this red
haired young girl and Captain Selwyp.
Dear Miss Erroll," she said blandly,
Il spoke as 1 did only to assure you
that 1 also disregard such malicious
/ gossip"
But If you disregard it, Mrs. Fame,
why do you repeat it?'
Merely to emphasize to you my dis
. belief in it. child" returned Rosamund
do you understand?
| Eyes. Thank YOU Yet 1 should
never have heard of 1t at all if you had
not told me-"
Rosamund's color rose one degree.
| at is better to hear such things from
friend, is it notY'
81 didn't know that ones friends
said such things, but perhaps it is bet
ter that way, as you say, only / cannot
understand the necessity of my know
ing-of my hearing-because it is Cap
tain Selwyn's affair, after ALL"
"And that" said Rosamund deliber
ately, 'is why / told YOU
Told me? oh, because he and are
such close friends?"
Eyes. Such very close friends tina
I"-she laughed-'I am informed tina
your interests are soon to be identi
cal''
The girl swung round. self possessed
but dreadfully pale.
eff you believed that" she said, "a
was vile of you to say what you said
Mrs. Fame
"But I did not believe it, childr
stammered Rosamund, several degree
redder than became her and now con
WINGED that it was true. II n-neve
dreamed Of offending you, Miss Ell
roll"
; ''Do you suppose I am too ignoran
to take offense?" said the girl unsteadi
ly. II told you very plainly that di'
not understand the matters you chos
for discussion, but do understand i'm
pertinence when am driven to it"
81 am very, very sorry. that you be
lieve I meant it that way" said Rosa
mund. biting her lips.
"What did you mean? You are olde
than /; you are certainly experienced
=. besides, you are married. II you ca
: give 1t gentler name than insolenc
would be glad-for your sake, Mrs
W. ~ ~ ~