Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-01
II mean it, too. he returned.

Me-" he suggested, IF you're as
thoroughly demoralized as that"
"Oh! Must girl be. pretty thor
oughly demoralized to marry you?"
II don't suppose she'd do 1t If she
wasn't" he admitted, laughing.
She considered him, head on one
side.
"You are ornamental anyway" she
concluded.
"Well, them" he said. lifting the
leader from the water TO inspect 1t,
'will you have me-"
ooh, but is there nothing to recon-
mend you except your fatal beauty?'
"My mustache," he ventured. ITS
| considered very useful when I'm men-
tally perplexed."
Its clipped too close. have told
you again and again that don't care
for it clipped like that. Your mind
would be a perfect blank If you
couldn't get hold of It,"
"And to become imbecile," he said,
1--WE only to shave it,
| She threw back her head and her
clear laughter thrilled the silence. He
laughed, too, and sat with elbows on
his thighs. dabbling the crinkled lead
er to and fro in the pool below.
$50 you won't have me?" he said.
| "You haven't asked me-have you?"
"Well, do now"
She unused, the smile resting lightly
on lips and eyes.
Wouldn't such a thing astonish
Nina?" she said.
1 10 n i<yhf
tinged the new sunburn on his cheeks.
She laughed to herself. clasped her
hands, crossed her slender feet and
bent her eyes on the pool below.
Marriage" she said, pursuing her
thoughts aloud, sis curiously unneces-
sary to happiness. Take our pleasure
in each other, for example. 1t has
from the beginning been perfectly free
from Stiffness and sentiment
"Naturally." he said Pm old enough
to be safe"
''You are not.' she retorted. What
ridiculous thing to say"
"Well, then" he said, I'm dreadful
ly unsafe, but yet you've managed to
escape. Is that it?" ~
Perhaps. You are attractive to wo-
men! I've heard that often enough 70
be convinced. Why, even ! can see
what attracts them"-she turned to
look at him-"the way your head and
shoulders set-and-well, the-rest It's
rather superior of me to have escaped
sentiment, don't you think 500"
, Indeed l do. Few-few escape
t where many meet to worship at my
frisky feet, and this say without con-
ceit is due to my mustachios. Tangled
, In those like web tied flies, imprisoned
! hearts complain in sighs-in fact. the
situation vies with moments in Boccac-
cio."
: Her running comment was her laugh
ter, ringing deliciously amid the trees
until wild bird, restlessly attentive.
l ventured long, sweet response from
t the tangled green above them.
After their laughter the soberness of
reaction left them silent for awhiIN.
> The wild bird sang and sang, dropping
fearlessly nearer from branch to branch
| until In his melody she found the key
Q to her dreamy thoughts.
FL Because" she said, you are so un-
q conscious of your own value I like
you best, think. never before quite
9 realized just what it was in you"
), my value" he said, sis what you
q care to make it."
e '"Then nobody can afford to take you
v away from me, Captain Selwyn.'
s He flushed with pleasure. THAT Ii
: the prettiest thing woman ever ad
: nitted to a man." he said.
Ell What more is there than our con
ndence In each other and our con
, tentY she said. rr4,e
And. as he did not respond: 81 won
:. der If you realize how perfectly Lowell,
!, you have been to me since you hay
come into my life. Do you? Do yo
remember the first day-the very first
how sent word to you that wishes
you to see my first real dinner gown
Smile If you wish-ah, but you don't
You don't understand, my poor friend
how much you became to me in tina
little interview! Mems kindness Is
strange thing They may try and try
. and girl may know they are tryin
and, in her turn, try to be grateful, bu
1t Is all effort ON both sides. Their
- with word, an impulse born Of chanc
or instinct, mar may say and d
that which a woman can never forge
-, and would not If she could"
"Have done that?"
10 Eyes. Didn't you understand? d
you suppose any other man in tn
world could have what you have ha
Of me-of my real self? Do you SUI
pose for one instant that any othe
man than you could ever obtain frol
! me the confidence 1 offer you unasked
Do not tell you everything that e,
tiers my head and heart? Do you NJ
} know that care for you more than fe
anybody aliveT
Gerald"
She looked him straight in the eye,
her breath caught, but she steadied he
4 voice.
'sVve got to be truthful" she salt
\ II care for you more than for Gerald
" "And for you more than anybod
living" he said.
SIS 1t true?"
cit is the TRUTH Eileen"