Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-24
Or Younger Set
By ROBERT w. CHAMBERS
Author Of ..The FIGHTING Chance" Etc.
coDyr,sh.. 1907 by Robert ". eh.m1er.

*3E ~ s ~ 81 81 g ~ ss&sssH
did not know anything about her. But
he meant to.
That she had been and probably now
was under Selwyn's protection he be-
lieved. What she and Selwyn intended
to do he did not know. But he wanted
to know. He dared not ask Sefwyn-
dared not because he was horribly
afraid of Selwyn-dared not yet make
a legal issue Of their relations. Of her
sequestration or Of her probable con-
tinued infirmity because OF his phys
ical fear of the man.
But there was. or he thought that
there had been, one way to begin the
matter because the matter must SOON
er or later be begun, and that was to
pretend to assume Neergard RESPONSE
summer sojourn aboard the Niobrara
turn on Neergard and demand reck-
oning which he believed Selwyn
would never hear of.
Ruthven was too deadly afraid Of
Selwyn to begin suit at that stage of
the proceedings. All he could do was
to start, through his attorneys,
search for his wife and meanwhile try
to formulate some sort Of definite plan
In regard to Gladys Orchil.
This, in brief. was Ruthven's general
scheme of campaign, and the entire
affair had taken some sort of shape
and was slowly beginning to move
when Neergard's illness came as an
absolute check. just as the first pa
pers were about to be served on him.
There was nothing to do but wait
until Neergard got well. because his
attorneys simply scoffed at any sug-
gestion of settlement out of court, and
Ruthven didn't want a suit Involving
his wife's name while he and Selwyn
were IN the sa me hemisphere.
But he could still continue an unob-
his wife, which he did. And the
chances were that his attorneys would
find her without great difficulty, be-
cause Selwyn had not the slightest
suspicion that he was being followed.
In these days selwyn,s life was
methodical and colorless in it's rou.
tine to the verge Of dreariness.
When he was not at the government
proving grounds on Sandy Hook he
remained in his room at Lansing's,
| doggedly forcing himself into the only
alternate occupation sufficient to dull
| the sadness of his mind-the prepare.
ton of a history Of British military
organization in India and its possible
application to present conditions in the
Philippines.
| He had given up going out-made nc
further pretense-and Boots let hin
alone.
Once a week he called at the &c
rards' spending most Of bis time while
there with the children. Sometimes ht
saw Nina and Eileen, usually just re
turned or about to depart for some
| function, and his visit, as a rule, ended
! with cup of tea alone with Austin
and quiet cigar In the library.
The elopement Of Gerald and Gladys
made splash in the social puddle.
/ Eileen, loyal, but sorrowfully amaz
ed at her brothers exclusion Of her IL
such a crisis. became slowly over
whelmed with the realization of he
loneliness and took to the seclusion q
her own room, feeling fearful ant
abandoned and very much like a yer.
, little girl whose heart was becomin,
20 f,xI1 of oil 80
), Nina misunderstood her, finding he
{ lying on her bed, her pale face Pill
lowed in her hair.
: "OnIy horribly ordinary people viii
believe that Gerald wanted her mon
! ey," said Nina. "as though an Enrol
, considered such matters at all or need
ed to. Boots is a dear. Do you know
, what he's doneY'
' "What?" asked Eileen listlessly, rails
ing the back of her slender hand fror
her eyes to peer at Nina through tn
| glimmer Of tears.
5 "Well, he and Phil have moved on
Of Boots house, and Boots has wire
Gerald and Gladys that the house
0 ready for them until they can find
y
!. both come here. In fact, their luggag
:. is upstairs now. Boots takes the blu
room and Phil his old quarters. Blu
don't you think it is perfectly sweet q
Boots? And isn't 1t good to have Phil
: back again?'
q Yes" said Eileen family.
Nina laid cool, smooth hand acros
her forehead, pushing back the hair.
{ light caress sensitive as an unaske
!. question.
But there was no response, and pre-
I emily the elder woman rose and wer
n out along the landing, and Eilee
heard her iaughfngly greeting Boot
who had arrived posthaste on learnin
that Drina was indisposed.
Don't be frightened. The littl
wretch carried tons Of indigestibl
stuff to her room and sat up half th
night eating 1t. Where's PEilipg
Il Il don't know. Here's a special d.
, livery for him.. I signed for it an
! brought it from the house. He'll b
, here from the Hook soon. 1 fancy"