Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-08-07

There had been no one at the station
TO meet her. and she had started out
bravely TO walk the two miles that lay
between the town and her country home.
At first she stepped lightly. upIifted
by the freshness of the wind that
blew from pale green meadows and
brown plowed fields and rcveling in
the sweetness of the orchards, pink
and white with bloom
But the bag that she carried was
heavy, and after the first mile Der
steps Jagged. When she reached the
little cemetery where the old head
! stones tilted toward each other under
the ccdars she sat down on Il bench by
the gateway and took off her hat
There, | knew | couldn't make Il
mistake about that head of hair" said
Il voice over the fence
Charlotte turned quickly
why. Jerry. Jerry" she cried II
| don't think it's bit nice of you to
begin right away about ny hair
We'll. it's such pretty hair Jerry
informed her as he came around TO the
gate. 81 don't see why l shouldn't
talk about it, ,s. ,g......
Red hair" she told him. lis never
pretty"
Yours isn't red he insisted stoutly:
| its coppery-gold and red
whats the matter at homer" she
demanded. ignoring the compliment
| NO one came to meet me-"
He looked down at her Solicitously.
Hasn't any one told you?'
She turned pale.
"No. Is anybody sick?"
He shook his head
| Andrews won't wait any longer for
his money. He's going to foreclosc
the mortgage and your mother and ia
| Their drove over TO your Uncle Bob's
last night to see if he could help out.
I don't believe they knew you were
coming on this train. | didn't or I'd
| have come down after YOU
! But Charlotte was not listening.
Andrews is going to foreclose?" she
| faItered. did he fell the reason?"
"No. Your father says he just wrote
that he couldn't wait any longer for
| the interest-and"-
Il know the reason" Charlotte
| stated. with flashing eyes. He wrote
me last week and asked me to marry
him. Jerry
The young man stared. He did
Eyes. he dared she continued, "he
told me that he knew he was much
older than l and that he hadn't much
education. but he had big house and
horses and automobiles, and he knew
that he could make me happy, as
was poor and teaching school. and my
family were in debt. OF course he
didn't say it just that way. but he
meant it,
"And-you refused?" The young
mans lips were set in straight line.
"Of course. 1 don't love him, Jerry"
The boys face cleared. "Thats rea-
son enough, Charlotte. l think IL
should give up If you married any one
else
A deep stain of red touched the girls
cheeks, but she went on quietly.
81 don't know what we are going ia
do. Jerry. l have given father and
mother every cent I have earned by
| tedCulng tulS year, D'u II HAS merely
paid the interest"
The young man bent over her and
took her hands. His chest heaved
IF you'd only marry me. Charlotte
he said.
But you can't. Jerry" she reminded
him. you've got your own burden ol
family debt, and it wouldn't be righ
for us to add to the worries of oul
parents, would it:''
But / love you" was his plea, ant
for moment she chung to him.
!. II know" she whispered, "but W,
can keep on loving nothing shall com'
between our love-Jerry."
After little while she went OF
; steadily:
II thought of it as I walked alon,
today. 1t seemed to me that dat,
stretched before me like long whit,
road-a weary road-and yet some
where at the end of the road was HON,
where l could rest aud be loved. Per
haps that will be the, way with OH