Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-31

into an attitude of deboaair cocksure-
ness the girl lost all her daring and
assertireness. She no longer took the
lead. In fact. In no time ut all she
found herself following his lead. some
times with a meekness OF which she
was wholly unconscious and again
with a strange mingling of fear and
tumultuous happiness that proclaimed
him master OF her heart.
But the boy because his power had
come ta him so easily was careless of
1t. Besides, there were SO many other
things that were more worth while
He told the girl about some of them
boastingly, expecting her to share his
enthusiasm. And because she seemed
to him indifferent and no longer COM
rade interested in the same things of
life he sought her less and less fire.
quently, and at length they drifted
quite apart. -
"But the girl never forgot She fol
lowed his career from afar and was
proud of all his successes. Yet. much
as she admired and reverenced the
man, i'm her heart it was the boy
whose image she treasured. She still
imagined him with her. sharing her
keen delight In every bit Of beauty
that she CHANGED upon. holding her
hand tight whenever the turbulent wa
tiers came near sweeping her on with
them.
IF the man ever remembered
And here the fine spun fancy came
to full stop owing probably to some
sudden interruption.
For a few minutes Wolcott sat alb
sorbed in deep thought. So she did
love him after all! And what he lad
overheard her tell her aunt coming
suddenly along by her open window
one day had been all part of her
daily heroism. Her lips had said: mo.
auntie; do not love him. He is only
just friend. He can never mean
anything more to me-" But her heart
had said
He rercad the last part of the con-
fession and then. taking out his PEN
ell. wrote hurriedly.
"If the man ever remembered" he
began, continuing the thread of the
story.. was no wonder what had be-
come of his jolly little playmate and to
try to recall what it was that had sep
arated them. He was glad that he had
done big things, and, although while he
was doing them he did not stop to an
alyze his motive or his inspiration. he
knew afterward that he had done them
for her in the hope that she might
hear of them and be proud. And after
they were done and he had earned a
breathing space he knew that he
should never do anything more worth
while until he should find her again
and have her near him always to love
and to worship.
.sHe yearned for warm clasp of her
little hand and the sound of her laugh
ter. What fool he had been to let
such priceless possessions pass when
they were his for the taking! Would ii
be possible to regain them now? Would
she forgive him and love him and en-
shrine him again as master of her
hearth"
Suddenly Wolcott heard an embar-
raised little laugh behind him.
"Oh, IL didn't realize you were
here" Marion was saying in almost
stammering confusion. Il came ont to
get a book 1 left here this morning
Eyes, found it." Bruce acknowl
edged awkwardly. the written sheets
scattered in telltale fashion about him
.'You didn't dare began Marion
blushing and turning white and blush
ing again In a way that kept Wolcott
staring at her in fascinated admira
ton.
Eyes, did. but I'll play fair" he an
swered, smiling at her with all his OLD
enga cling frankness. "You may read
the end OF the story Marion. tool
the liberty OF finishing IT,
He watched her closely while sht
read Il and. noticed. With q greal