Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-08

a prIlIIant eccentricity that gradually ;.
became something less pleasant oh,
Phil, Philv'
cit was softening Of the BRAIN" he
said, "was it not?'
Eyes; he entertained delusion of
conspiracy against him, also a compla
cent conviction of the mental insta-
bility of others. Yet at intervals he
remained clever and witty and charm
ing"
"And then?'
'sPhil-he became violent at times"
eyes. And the end" he asked
quietly.
"a little child again, quite happy
and content, playing with toys, very
gentle, very pitiable." The hot tears
filled her eyes. ooh, Phil" she sob
bed and hid her face on his shoulder.
Over the soft, family fragrant hair
he stared stupidity, lips apart, chin
loose.
A little later Nina sat up in the ham,
mock, daintily effacing the traces OF
tears. Selwyn was saying: eff this is
so, that Ruthyen man has got to stand
by her. Where could she go if such
trouble is to come upon her? To whom
can she turn if not to him? He is re-
sponsible for her-doubly so If her con-
dition is to be-that! By every law Of
manhood he is bound to stand by her
now. By every law of decency and
humanity he cannot desert her now.
If she does these-these indiscreet
things, and if he knows she Is not alto
gether mentally responsible, he can
not fail to stand by her! How can he,
in Gods name?
"Phil," she said, you speak like
man, but she has no man to stand 10y
ally by her in the direst need human
no man at all-only loathsome acci-
dent of animated decadence."
He looked up quickly, amazed at her
sudden bitterness. and she looked back
at him almost f1ercely.
81 may as well tell you what I've
heard" she said. II was not going to
at first, but it will be all around town
sooner or later. Rosamund told me.
She learned-as she manages to learn
everything little before anybody else
hears of it-that Jack Ruthven found
| out that Alike was behaving very care
| lessly with some handsome silly, cal
| low and probably harmless youth. But
i there was a disgraceful scene on Mr..
| Neergard's yacht, the Niobrara. l
| don't know who the people were, but
| Ruthven acted abominably. The Mo
T. hnr tnr
day, and Alike is aboard, and her hus-
| band Is in New York, and Rosamund
| saws he means to divorce her in one
way or another. Ugh, the horrible lit
, tie man. with his rings and bangles."
| She shuddered. why, the mere
bringing of such a suit means her So
cial ruin. no matter what verdict Is
brought in. Her only salvation has
been in remaining inconspicuous, and
a sane girl would have realized 1t.
But''-and she made gesture of de-
spair-"you see what she has done,
And, Phil, you know what she has
done to you, what a mad risk she took
in going to your rooms that night"
"Who said she had ever been in my
rooms 2" he demanded, flushing darkly
in his surprise.
"Did you suppose l didn't know itT
she asked quietly. "Oh, but / did, and
it kept me awake nights worrying
Yet knew it must have been all right
knowing you as l do. But do yor
suppose other people would hold you
as innocent as l do? Even Eileen
the sweetest, whitest, most loyal little
soul in the world-was troubled wher
Rosamund limited at some scanda
touching you and Alike. She told me
but she did not tell me what Rosa
mund had said-the mischief maker!'
His face had become quite colorless
He raised an unsteady hand to hi:
mouth, touching his mustache, and hi!
gray eyes narrowed menacingly.
"Rosamund-spoke Of scandal to-
EileenT" he repeated. "Is that poss!
ble?
How long do you suppose girl cal
live and not hear scandal of SOM
sort?" said Nina. Its bound to rail
some time or other, but l prepared m.
little ducks back to shed some things.
"You say" insisted Selwyn, "tha
Rosamund spoke of me-in that way
to Eileen?"
Eyes. 1t only made the child angry
Phil, SO don't worry"
mo; won't worry. No, II won't
You are quite right, Nina. But tn
: pity of it. that tight, hard shelled VIC
man of the world to do such thin
to young girl"
Ill.,