Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-17

TOR the present. His bedroom cost him
next to nothing; breakfast he cooked
for himself, luncheon he dispensed
with, and he dined at random-any-
where that appeared to promise seclu-
anybody he had ever known.
As for his clubs. he hung on to them,
knowing the Importance of appear
ances in a town which Is made up Of
them. But this expense was all he
could carry. for the demands Of the es-
Enlistment at Edgewater were stead
lily increasing with the early coming
Of winter He was sent for oftener,
and physician was now In practically
continual attendance.
Also three times a week he boarded
the Sandy Hook boat, returning al
ways at night because he dared not
remain at the reservation lest an i'm.
perative telegram from Edgewater find
him unable to respond
So. when in November the first few
hurrying snowflakes whirled in among
the city's canyons of masonry and
iron, Selwyn had already systematized
his winter schedule, and when Nina
opened her house, returning from Len
OK with Eileen to do so. she found that
Selwyn had made his own arrange
ments for the winter and that. accord
ing to the programme. neither she nor
anybody else was likely to see him
oftener than one evening in a week.
To Boots she complained bitterly.
having had visions of Selwyn and Ger
aid as permanent fixtures of family
support during the season now immi-
nent
81 cannot understand" she said,
"why Philip is acting this way. He
need not work like that. There is no
necessity, because he has a comforta-
| BILE income. If he is determined to
maintain a stuffy apartment some
| where, of course 1 won't insist on his
coming to US, as he ought to, but to
! abandon us in this manner makes me
almost indignant. Besides, it's having
anything but salutary effect on Ell
| leen."
| "What effect is it having on Eileen %
| inquired Boots curiously.
| ou, L uOu huO", Stlu Min, COIu'
ing perilously close to q pout, "but
see symptoms-indeed, do, Boots
| symptoms of Sinking the winters rou
| tine. It's to be gay season, too, and
! it's only her second. The idea Of g
child of that age informing me thai
she's had enough of the purely socia
phases of this planet! Boots. I've giver
up all hopes of that brother of mine fol
her, but she could marry anybody Il
she chose-anyb ody-and she coulG
twist the entire social circus into
court of her own and dominate every
thing. / don't know what to do witt
the girl. Philip never comes near US
once q week for an hour or two, which
is nothing-and the child misses him
There, the murder is out! Eileen MISE
him. What to do about it don't know
, Boots, don't know"
3 Lansing had ceased laughing. He ha,
been indulging in tea-a shy vice o
: his which led him to haunt house
v where that out of fashion beverag
might still be had. And now he sal
l cup suspended. saucer held meekl
5 against his chest. gazing out at tn
: pelting snowflakes.
Boots, dear" said Nina, who adore
n him, tell me what to do. Tell m
what has gone amiss between m
d brother and Eileen. Something hal
3 And whatever 1t IL II began last a,
e tumn-that day when-you remembt
q the incident"
# Boots nodded.
e "Well, it seemed to upset everybod
: somehow. Philip left the next da.
9 Do you remember? And Eileen hs
n never been quite the same. OF cour.
h I don't ascribe it to that unpleasal
= episode-even young girl gets over
/ shock in day. But the-the change
" or whatever it is-dated from tn;
m night. They, Philip and Eileen, ha
p been inseparable. 1t was good fl
them-for her too. And as for Phil
l. why, he looked about twenty-on
n Boots, II had hoped-expected-a
IS was right! They were on the yer,
% Of it.'
II think so, too," he said. "Hell
5. Somebody's coming, and I'm OFF,
y. "Pm not at home; don't gov' sa
Nina, laying one hand on his arm
detain him as card was brought u
: "Oh, it's only Rosamund Fame! I d
| promise to go to the Craigs' with he
! Do you mind If she comes up?"
I "Not If you don't" said Boots blan
ly. He could not endure Rosamun
,e and she detested him. and Nina. wi
n. was perfectly aware of this, had ju
" enough of perversity in her to emf,
e. their meeting.
a WHATS TIFF IICE